


Non-Directional Lover

by Sukima



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: F/F, Futanari
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-26
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2017-12-03 16:41:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 63,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/700447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sukima/pseuds/Sukima
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marisa has always had a bit of a thing for her friends, but after coming away from a magical mishap anatomically incorrect those feelings are resurfacing with a perverted twist. After weeks of trying to cope with things alone her rampant perversions finally find a very unexpected outlet, and get her tangled up with a certain gap-lurker to solve an incident only her unique body can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sleep Depraved

**Author's Note:**

> As a secondary warning, this story contains explicit sexual relations of the hermaphroditic variety. For those of you who are interested, read on! For those of you who aren't, perhaps this is a chance to broaden your horizons?

I: Sleep Depraved

It was another warm summer night in Gensokyo, and Marisa was just waking up after what felt like a light breeze sent goosebumps up her arms and legs. They pricked a little painfully after such a peaceful sleep and she rolled over in an effort to ignore them, but instead of a pillow, her cheek met cold wood. After a moment to register that fact, she sat up groggily with hazy recognition that this was not her room. It was too big, and her bed certainly wasn't made of hardwood. She was lying on what she discerned to be her own dress after running her fingers across it and feeling the small brass studs sewn into the front, which left her in nothing but a tank-top and short bloomers. She decided it might be a good idea to take a look around, but the moment she turned her head her whereabouts became perfectly clear.

“Oh,” was all her sleepy mind could muster after the immense effort of realizing she was at Reimu's shrine. It had taken her a while to notice, but the large front doors of the shrine were wide open, letting in a pool of cold moonlight. There wasn't any breeze blowing though. It was calm and quiet save for what sounded like breathing. It turned out not to be her own, and as her bleary gaze swept the moonlit room, she saw a few other sleeping forms scattered about. She also saw several bottles and cups on the nearby table, which sparked recollection of a night of raucous drinking with Reimu and the Yakumo “family”, who had shown up more or less unannounced as soon as the first drop of alcohol had hit a glass. Yukari had decided to stay over as well, which was unusual. She hadn't even tried anything. She was laid out on a messy futon in one corner with Chen curled next to her, the closet she'd dragged it from still open. Ran was passed out in the middle of the floor a little ways from Marisa, and Reimu herself was asleep with her lower half under the booze-laden table.

Marisa rubbed the grit from her eyes and glanced back at Reimu. She was turned on her side facing Marisa, with her legs extended under the table and her arms stretched out in front of her as if she were reaching for something. Her sleeping face was smooth and untroubled, her breathing light and effortless, which was a stark contrast to the impenetrable apathy she adopted when she was awake. She thought seeming uninterested in everything all the time made her seem like she hadn’t a care in the world, but Marisa knew her responsibilities weighed on her greatly. Marisa felt a little flash of affection flutter through her chest as she watched Reimu sleep. The way one of her sleeves had slipped down further than the other, the tangle of her sleep-hair imparting a messy cuteness. She might have been drooling a little, too. Marisa got to hands and knees with the intent of going to check, but the sound of movement caused her to snap her head around to see Ran shuffle in her sleep. Marisa's face flushed and her pulse quickened. If Ran had woken up, she would have caught Marisa staring and no doubt made some scathing remark about it. Yukari sure as hell would have, and Reimu probably would, too.

She kept an eye on Ran until her breathing returned to the slow rhythm of deep sleep and noticed that her hat was not on her head. She had never seen Ran without her hat on and in fact hadn’t seen her around very often at all. Seeing anyone without their hat in Gensokyo was beyond rare. If they wore one, it was as good as glued to their head. Even Marisa was reluctant to take hers off outside of one or two trusted locations. This could very well be a once-in-her-lifetime opportunity and she wasn’t about to pass that up to fawn over Reimu, since she did that on a daily basis. Crawling slowly, Marisa went around to Ran’s side and, at length, examined her fox ears. They seemed a little small since they were always tucked into that strange tasseled hat she usually wore, but they turned out to be almost as long as Marisa’s hand. She tilted her head this way and that while fighting the urge to touch, her breathing sounding loud against the room’s stillness. She had seen other beast youkai, like Chen who was Ran’s cat shikigami, but mostly only dueled with them, never having a chance to really learn about them outside of danmaku. Strangely enough, Ran had human ears in addition to her fox ears, probably having been granted during her transformation from a fox into a shikigami. She tried to inch closer but drew back sharply as her breath must have touched Ran’s ear, causing it to twitch downward as if swatting something. She tensed and waited but Ran showed no signs of stirring. After a moment or two to let her settle, Marisa lightly puffed a breath on Ran’s ear and had to stifle a little giggle when it twitched again. Ran remained oblivious, and Marisa finally gave in to her urge to touch.

At first Marisa simply traced around the tip of each ear with her fingertips, but soon she grew bolder and had one in each hand. She found if she touched them too lightly they’d move as if trying to subconsciously escape her grasp. She even squeezed them a bit, curious at their pliability. They were surprisingly soft as well, and she found herself growing calm and relaxed, her thoughts drifting with a sort of lazy clarity through her mind. She spent a good portion of her free time here at Reimu’s shrine, just laying around and trying to keep her company. She usually just served tea and told her to go home, but every now and again she opened up a little and let some feelings out. Usually alcohol was involved, and Marisa had, on more than one occasion, showed up with a bottle of sake or wine with the excuse that she couldn't drink all of it by herself. As far as she knew, she was the only one Reimu had deeper conversations with and it made her breast swell with pride and happiness. The logical conclusion was that, because of this, she had developed feelings for Reimu, and they’d been friends for a good while now. She had taken an instant liking to her when they had first met, but couldn’t quite pin down when she’d developed deeper feelings. Maybe since the beginning. She'd known Alice for a good while, too, what with living in the same forest. She already knew she loved Alice, but the way one loves a much-valued friend. With Reimu, it just might be more than that. “Ah, geeze,” Marisa muttered quietly to herself as she stroked her thumbs along the inside of Ran’s ears. She wondered what would happen if she told Reimu she liked her more than as a friend. Rejection was the most likely outcome she could imagine, provided she even worked up enough courage to go through with it. Reimu would probably just laugh in her face and ask her if she was joking. ‘You’re kidding right? Did you eat a weird mushroom or something?’ Not to mention they were both girls, which was reason enough for Reimu to laugh her right out of Gensokyo entirely. But maybe, just maybe, Reimu would return her feelings. Reimu was good at hiding what she felt, and she couldn't play favorites or else how could she claim to be the protector of Gensokyo's balance? It made sense.

Marisa imagined confessing; saw Reimu blushing and acting flustered which was cute enough by itself, then smiling warmly before saying ‘I love you, too.’ Imaginary Marisa then pounced on imaginary Reimu, and their lips met in a passionate kiss while their hands started roaming each other’s bodies. Their tongues met between their mouths, and Marisa tried to imagine what Reimu’s aroused voice would sound like. Would it be squeaky and high pitched? Quiet and subdued? But then, that didn't really matter because Reimu would notice the bulge in Marisa’s dress—‘What’s that?’. Marisa came back to reality, breathing heavily, wondering how she’d handle that situation. ‘It’s a dick. Y’know, like men have.’ Yeah, like that'd fly. She sighed and cast her gaze down, her eyes falling on her hands still clutching Ran’s ears. With a start, she quickly withdrew them and stared at Ran intently, the hump in her dress pulsing faintly. For better or worse, she'd ended up with a dick, magically sewn into her anatomy during an experiment that she wasn't quite sure if she regretted attempting.

Well, it was less 'magically sewn' and more 'accidentally ended up with', but saying it that way wasn't as cool. Her magical studies had taken her far, certainly, but manipulating human physiology was touted as being both incredibly difficult _and_ dangerous, which drew Marisa to it like a moth to flame. She had always felt a little lacking in the chest area, so she started with what was supposed to be a simple flesh transference spell to change that. Things didn't work out exactly how she'd planned, however. She must have drawn part of the fairly complex magic circle the spell called for incorrectly, because when the dust settled and her body stopped tingling, she found she was just as flat as she'd been when she'd started. But she didn't come away with nothing, and as she began her routine well-being check that she ran after every magical mishap, she found she'd come away with something despite her failure. She'd somehow ended up with a dick instead of tits. She just had to touch it, of course. It had been impossible not to, and she'd quickly become addicted to the sensations it had provided. There were some things she just couldn't wrap her head around, though, even allowing for the esoteric mysteries of magic. When she climaxed, it was entirely separate from her female parts, and she was somehow capable of producing what she could only assume was cum. The only experience she'd had with male physiology was from books, and she knew her magic penis was not only entirely unnatural but disproportionate as well. At eight inches, it caused a lot of problems if she let her mind wander when she was out and about. It also had the strange effect of amplifying her feelings and soon, instead of just touching herself because it felt good, she started thinking about her friends in rather inappropriate ways. At least now she had a good reason to. When she thought about Reimu or Alice or Patchy in that way before her little incident, she always felt strange, like she wasn't wired quite right. And now she was feeling up a beast youkai that could rip her in two with as much effort as it took her to breathe, which certainly didn't help disprove that. But that still didn't stop her from noticing Ran was distinctly more female than beast.

The fabric of her gown was stretched tightly over her chest and Marisa had never really been close enough to appreciate how well-endowed she was. On the rare occasions they’d met they were either dueling or she had her hands across her front resting in her gown’s huge sleeves. Her body was just an arm’s length away. Marisa had gotten herself a little worked up remembering all those sleepless nights with dirty thoughts filling her head, and she felt her curiosity starting to get the better of her. No doubt she’d ruin any chances she had with Reimu—no matter how slim—if she tried anything on her, but Ran, on the other hand, was fast asleep and very drunk. Marisa had drunk enough to forget where she was and even youkai had their limits.

With these thoughts, her crazy idea seemed a little less crazy and before she knew it, her hand was resting on Ran’s breast. She could feel it compress when Ran inhaled, alternately squishing up into her fingers and then settling to the edges of her palms when Ran breathed out. She began to shake lightly, and shot a wide-eyed glance over her shoulder to make sure no one else was awake. When she saw that no one was, she reached over and palmed Ran’s other breast, barely daring to squeeze and even then ever so lightly. They were soft but firm, the taut fabric of Ran’s gown suspending them and pressing them together, and she could feel the squishy bumps of Ran’s nipples as she groped. Her blood was pounding in her ears at this point, and she was staring intently at Ran’s face, ready to leap away in an instant. Fear gnawed at the back of her mind, and she hoped Ran would have a bit of an alcohol induced delay before being fully aware if she awoke. Marisa tried to quickly come up with an alibi or an escape plan, but her thoughts became less coherent as arousal took priority. Maybe something like ‘you were coughing so I was making sure you were okay!’ That sounded good, right? She began rubbing her legs together in a subconscious effort to stimulate herself and withdrew her hands, noticing she had started to outright tremble. She’d successfully felt Ran’s breasts. Truly an achievement worth noting. She continued to stare for several moments. She felt like she'd really crossed a line in herself. She was officially a complete lesbian now. Like, completely officially. It was one thing touching yourself and, oops I thought of Reimu oh well but it was something completely different touching a girl willingly and liking it. There was no coming back from this. She glanced at Reimu again, wondering how she’d react if she woke up. Considering how pragmatic she was about everything she’d probably just say something like ‘don’t do that when you’re a guest in my shrine’ or ‘she’s gonna kill you if she catches you’. Plus, Reimu would know she was into girls. That might solve the problem of breaking it to her, but it caused a whole slew of others. She'd keep it secret, sure, but what if she started distancing herself? Marisa wasn't sure if she could take that. But that's exactly why she wasn't next to Reimu right now. If Ran caught her, things would be less predictable, but she could handle being shunned by the Yakumos.

She couldn't help but feel a little paranoid with her back to the rest of the room, though. The instincts bred by her kleptomania asserted themselves as she quietly crawled around the room and poked at each of the others to make sure they were sound asleep. She found she didn’t even _want_ to touch Reimu, at least not in the same way. She would have much preferred lying next to her, in her outstretched arms, and maybe stroking her hair. No, even that would be too risky. She forced herself to move on to the corner where Yukari lay with Chen curled up at her feet. It was surprising enough that Yukari didn't just go home when things started winding down, but even more surprising was the way she slept. In a word, it was nothing other than slovenly. Her hair was mussed, some of it stuck to her face in a sleepy halo, and she was even snoring lightly. Even if she'd had some sort of ulterior motive for sleeping over, there was no way she'd let herself be seen this way. Unless it played into her plans. Marisa decided she'd leave that speculation for never, and, after peeking at Chen and failing to resist stroking her tails for a few seconds, she returned to Ran.

Her penis was throbbing now, in eager anticipation of whatever it was she was going to do. The feel of Ran's wonderfully squishy breasts was still on her fingertips, but she leaned down so her face was only a couple inches from Ran's with the idea that she wanted to feel Ran's lips. It helped her along that she could still smell alcohol on Ran's breath despite the hours that had passed since they'd been drinking. She’d imagined kissing Reimu quite often, but the opportunity to actually feel someone else’s lips on hers was a powerful force since she’d probably never kiss Reimu. Not without receiving heavy injuries. Thus, she easily convinced herself it was worth taking the risk and licked her lips tentatively before pressing them against Ran’s. Not too lightly so she could appreciate the feeling, yet not too hard for fear of waking her subject. They were soft and warm, as expected, and tasted slightly of Ran’s last drink, but it was still an amazing feeling. She wondered what she looked like, kneeling over Ran like that with their faces so close. She probably looked _exactly_ like she was doing what she was doing, so she just closed her eyes and imagined it was Reimu she was kissing. It actually worked, too, a wondrously vivid image of a passionate kiss with Reimu filling her mind’s eye. Her heart started to beat wildly, even faster than it already was, and she could almost feel Reimu’s hands clasping hers, but it was Ran's breast that touched her hand. She snapped back to a sitting position and removed the hand from Ran’s chest that she didn’t remember moving. Her breath came in shaky, drawn-out bursts as she tried to keep her pulse under control and her heart was pounding hard enough to make the front of her shirt quiver. Just imagining _kissing_ Reimu threw her body into such a passion _._ If she was careful, _very_ very careful, maybe she could get away with just a tiny bit more.

She sidled over to her dress and pulled it along with her back to Ran's side so it was within arm's reach. Since she was wearing a tank-top she could just kind of play dead if Ran woke up. It was a common sight to see party-goers scattered about, asleep in nothing but their underwear, even if they just so happened to end up next to each other. The hard part would be explaining to Ran why she was on top of her, she thought as she inched forward and lifted her leg across Ran to straddle her. She made sure she didn’t touch anywhere she didn’t intend to, and pulled down the waistband of her bloomers. Her dick came free and slapped against her stomach, and she lowered it so it was parallel to Ran’s sleeping form before sliding her knees forward until the head was directly over Ran’s lips. Immediately it began to twitch as Ran's hot breath washed over it. The sensation was near orgasmic in itself coupled with the intensity of the moment, but as her cock twitched and jumped, it made contact with Ran’s lips just once and she knew she couldn’t stop. She pressed lower and felt the soft flesh of Ran’s lips squish up against her glans, the feeling of them still fresh on her own. She stayed in that position for long moments teetering on the brink of fear and reckless abandon and threw another glance over her shoulder at the other sleeping shapes, her body shaking as if she was naked in the snow. No one had so much as rolled over. She was in the clear; she was really going to do this.

She turned back to Ran and allowed her surface thoughts to sink beneath her building lust as she attempted to calm her quivering. She slid her hips forward, not even daring to go down half her full length, then slid back, shuddering as she felt a bit of Ran’s teeth on her tip. A little too rough maybe, if she was pushing Ran's mouth open. As tempting as that sounded, she reluctantly let up a little and tried closing her eyes to imagine Reimu beneath her. However, all she could imagine was Reimu looking angry, as if Marisa had her against her will. A sigh of frustration escaped her. Not that it was the only reason she was doing this to poor Ran. She was a slave to her lust now, and she thrust her thoughts away again as she became aware of a warm trickling between her legs. The desire to touch her female half was growing exponentially and she arched her back a bit so she could slide her other hand down her shaft and into her bloomers. She brushed over her clitoris, sending shivers out against her existing tremors, then slid a finger inside herself and twisted it around to find her most sensitive places. She had spent many a night like that as well, her fingers buried inside her insatiable slit with thoughts of whoever took her fancy that day. Usually Reimu, but sometimes others as well. Never Ran, though. The memories brought a fond smile to her face as she slipped a third finger in. Her thrusts became more daring as she felt orgasm coiling in her gut and a noticeable pressure building in her base. Faster she went, her cock sliding from tip to base against Ran’s face.

Sweet release was just moments away, but panic quickly, almost painfully overrode her pleasure as she realized she hadn’t planned to go this far. She tossed her head around in search of her dress or anything at all that wasn’t Ran’s face, squeezing her dick as she did so like it would actually prevent anything, then reached out behind her to grab her dress. But she made a mistake. Her knee slipped on the hardwood floor and pushed roughly into Ran's side, jolting both of them. Marisa could only freeze and look to Ran's face, and her blood went ice cold when she saw the glint of Ran's eyes in the dark. “Oh shit—R-Ran!” Marisa fell backwards onto her butt and flailed her arms, dragging her legs across Ran's torso in her mad scramble to create distance. Her erection was lost in seconds and Ran’s hand closed on air where Marisa’s neck had been moments before, then slipped off her legs as she frantically kicked them. She couldn't play dead now since Ran had woken with perfect clarity, and the alibi she had so recently believed would get her out of trouble was just incomprehensible babble on her lips as she panicked.

Eventually Marisa quieted, Ran just staring at her. She slowly withdrew her hand and her body had tensed up as if she was ready to move at a moment’s notice. “I—I can explain!”Marisa whispered frantically. “Y-you were coughing, see? So I was checking to make sure you were okay! Oh um, I also took my clothes off.” Somehow that didn’t come out quite how she had planned it. “I guess I may have drunk too much, hehe.” Her laugh sounded weak, even to herself.

“Oh, is that what happened?” The sound of Ran’s voice made Marisa flinch, and she drew back sharply as Ran sat up swiftly. “I knew you for a thief, black-white, but what do you stand to gain from groping me in my sleep? You humans are so impulsive it’s a wonder you manage to stay alive.” Ran sighed, her voice surprisingly level. She didn’t even appear to be distressed, which made Marisa’s fear mingle with puzzlement. “What did you plan to—what _did_ you do?” She asked as she wiped Marisa’s saliva from her lips and looked at the back of her hand.

“Y-you’re not gonna kill me?” Marisa asked, a little afraid of the answer. Ran laughed at her and removed the spit coating the back of her hand with a quick swipe against her gown. The image of Ran’s arm flashing toward her came back to her. What would have happened had it found its mark? She could also feel faint scratches in her shins and calves where Ran had tried to grab her legs.

“I considered it,” Ran said casually as she flexed clawed fingers, making Marisa shudder, “but I’m mostly surprised. Why _me_ and not the shrine maiden? I suppose she _would_ actually kill you, though. Besides, it would cause a lot of trouble even if I had a good reason.” She looked at Reimu with a quiet _hmm_ , then back at Marisa. “That said, there's only one reason you'd want to touch me that way, right?” Marisa blushed at Ran’s mention of Reimu, and then flinched again as Ran leaned forward, her expression going from flat to predatory. “Why so shy all of the sudden? That’s not very like you, black-white.” Faster than Marisa's eyes could follow, she tore Marisa’s bloomers right off. “You want to mate with me, don't you?” She placed her hands on Marisa’s knees and attempted to spread them. Marisa resisted at first, but the strength of a beast youkai easily bested that of a human’s and Marisa’s legs parted reluctantly. “Aha, so you have one, too.”

“Mate? Have one too? What do you mean?” Marisa averted her gaze, her face flushing hotly as images of Gensokyo’s inhabitants with dicks tacked on flooded her mind. All her problems would be solved if only Reimu had one, too. She tried to inch backwards, but Ran’s claws pricked into her knees so she stayed put.

“Don't play coy, black-white. To think you go around calling yourself ordinary. That,” she pointed between Marisa’s legs, “is anything but.” She cocked her head and eyed Marisa’s member for a moment before asking “Can you make it bigger? I didn’t get to see it when it was on my face.”

“You wanna see it?” Ran just nodded with a look that said 'do we have a problem?' “I can’t just—just make it happen,” Marisa stuttered. “I really thought I was gonna die, you know?” Ran smiled a sharp, almost hungry smile.

“Be glad you didn't.” Marisa saw Ran’s fang-like canines glint in the moonlight. “How can you even complain in this situation? Consider it collateral. As opposed to paying with, say, your blood.” Marisa stiffened, eyes wide. Ran smiled wider and reached out to grab Marisa’s penis, waggling it back and forth. “Good. Hmm, yours certainly looks different,” she said, cocking her head and examining Marisa's dick. Marisa began to writhe a little in Ran's grip as she continued to play with it, slowly stroking it now with nothing more than curiosity on her face.

Marisa's breathing escalated as she grew fully hard. She was a bit worried about the inch-long claws tipping each of Ran’s fingers, but the light scratches she could feel didn't hurt and almost made her cry out. “Hm, your body doesn't lie as well as your mouth does,” Ran said with a smirk. Marisa went from being stunned and a little scared to feeling like a piece of meat on the chopping block, though she’d pretty much been on a chopping block since Ran caught her.

Suddenly, Ran looked hesitant and stole a glance around the room. “What're you gonna do to me?” Marisa asked, trying hard to keep any fear from her voice. She only had an erection in reaction to Ran's fingers. She was too scared to maintain one otherwise. What if Ran decided Marisa didn't need her dick? She could remove it quite easily, and she didn't need magic to do it. Ran's response did not quiet Marisa's fear. She put a finger to her lips and stood, dragging Marisa after her by her dick. “Ow, hey!” Marisa hissed, but Ran clamped a hand over her mouth almost immediately.

“Quiet. Come with me,” she said. Marisa didn't have much of a choice, and just barely managed to scoop up her dress and ruined bloomers before Ran led her down the hall and into the bathroom. She motioned for Marisa to slide the door shut, then pulled her over to the toilet and sat her down. “Now, then,” she began, but Marisa wrenched free of Ran's grip despite the prick of claws in her cheeks and stared up at her defiantly.

“Just what do you think you're doin'?” She asked hotly. “You're treatin' me like a prisoner or somethin'.” Ran looked surprised at Marisa's outburst, but her face quickly changed to a scowl. “I—I mean, you don't gotta hurt me. You could just, you know, _tell_ me instead of yankin' me around.”

“Well, I won't apologize. You got yourself into this,” she replied, then smiled to show her fangs again.“Now, you have two options, Marisa. I will be kind enough to grant you two choices. The first is to dress yourself, go home, and pretend this never happened.” Marisa looked at Ran warily. She had her dress and bloomers. If she flew low enough, no one would catch her. So why wasn't she leaving? She felt a reluctance to just go, a leaden weight in her stomach when she tried to move her legs. Once again, curiosity bested her better judgment. “My, what a surprise,” Ran said when Marisa didn't make to leave. “Your second option is to face up to your actions, accept their consequences,” she leaned down and brought her face just inches from Marisa's, “and mate with me.” Then she kissed her, full on the lips. Marisa panicked at first, her lips mashed into Ran's haphazardly, but Ran's hands went to her cheeks and she found herself returning the kiss almost eagerly. Even as she enjoyed the sensation, she was mentally rebuking herself. _This is my first kiss! This was supposed to be for Reimu!_ _Ugh, as if._ Their tongues met as Ran opened her mouth with a low laugh, her eyes bright with amusement and lust. “Somehow,” she said, breaking the kiss to straighten and remove her gown, “I knew you'd stay.” She tugged it off in one smooth motion, her bare breasts swinging as she tossed it aside. Marisa could only stare, mouth agape, at Ran's exposed body.

“I-is that—? It's huge!” It wasn't Ran's breasts that had caught her attention, however. It was her ridiculously huge cock. Marisa couldn't help but study it considering it was pulsing right in front of her. She couldn't tell for certain without the proper tools, but it must have been at least a foot long, and a third of that around. It stood out at an angle and bent slightly in the middle, like it was too heavy to support itself, whereas Marisa's stood straight up against her stomach, and Ran's had extra skin covering the tip that Marisa lacked entirely. It looked like it belonged on a beast. But here it was attached to this strikingly voluptuous humanoid, her existence as a four-legged creature long past and likely long forgotten. Had Yukari just somehow _given_ it to her or something? Manipulated the boundary between male and female but for Ran's crotch maybe. “H-how did you get that thing?” Marisa just had to ask. Ran gave her a puzzled look, like she had said something totally crazy.

“That's what you're thinking right now? You _are_ a strange one.” Marisa smiled sheepishly and shrugged. She found she was no longer afraid since Ran's ultimatum benefited her no matter what she chose. She stuck around mainly because if she left, Ran would have a lot of leverage what with Marisa feeling her up and all that, and maybe by making it mutual she had a better chance of leveling the field. And hey, she was learning already, and learning was the basis for everything ever for a magician. “It's a side effect from my master, actually.” Ran had answered her truthfully, too. Most likely. Marisa was willing to take whatever Ran had in store for her just for that. “A shikigami can be weaker than their master but can never exceed their power. I am far from lady Yukari's limit, but there are some things that just come with being her familiar.”

“S-so Chen, too?” This fascinated Marisa, in an admittedly perverse way. She had almost completely forgotten her situation and how she'd landed herself in it.

“Chen is _my_ shikigami,” Ran replied, rather harshly. Marisa just nodded and gave a clipped apology. If Ran had a dick through synergy with Yukari, Chen probably did as well. That poor kid.

Marisa's speculation was cut short however, as a tiny gap opened in the air above the two of them. They both looked up at the same time to see Yukari's hand pop out holding something. Ran's face had gone visibly pale, but Marisa didn't feel like she had much to worry about. There was no way Yukari could fit through that. Instead, she dropped whatever she was holding and it hit the tiled floor with a squishy _plop_ before the gap closed without so much as a peep from Yukari herself. The thing was a perfectly clear, roughly cylindrical blob, seemingly gelatinous yet solid with a strange pattern inside and a hole at the end Marisa could see. It looked pretty heavy, and probably was judging by the sound it made when it had landed. Both she and Ran just stared at it, but Marisa figured Ran probably knew what it was. “Hm,” was all Ran had to say. Color had returned to her face, but she still seemed a little shaken.

“What's that?” Marisa ventured. Ran picked the thing up at one end and looked it over. It drooped and flopped around as she turned it, and made weird squelching noises. Was it alive? No, no, it couldn't be. No organs. At least none Marisa could see.

“This,” she said, poking a finger into one of the end-holes, “is approval.” Marisa didn't get it. It probably showed on her face, as Ran decided to explain. “Lady Yukari has given me leave to essentially do as I will with you. She was the only one who could have possibly stopped this. Or Reimu, though I doubt she would care.” Marisa groaned at being reminded of Reimu. What if she got up to use the bathroom? She'd catch them and...and stare at them blankly, maybe offer a sharp rebuke, and shut the door. She wouldn't interfere and probably wouldn't even mention it again.

“Let's get this over with,” Marisa said. Her curiosity was satisfied now and was replaced with anxiety. She had been running on the fumes of impulse and lust. She really was at the mercy of Ran's whims, and she had a foreboding feeling that the weird squishy thing now had something to do with it. It apparently had holes in both ends, and it easily accepted Ran's finger.

Despite the lingering worry of being caught by Reimu, excitement welled up in Marisa’s guts as Ran stepped forward and tilted her chin up, just looking at her for several moments. “What?”

“There is something about you,” Ran said before leaning down to snake her tongue between Marisa's lips. Marisa surrendered; just closed her eyes and let Ran explore her mouth, but quickly stuck her own tongue out as her breathing grew rapid. Something as simple as Ran licking inside her mouth was making her head go fuzzy and her body heat up.

“Mmhmhm,” Ran smiled as they kissed, her laugh passing from her own mouth straight to Marisa's, and slowly stood upright. Marisa trailed below her to keep their lips connected, standing on tiptoe when Ran reached her full height. She felt Ran's breasts press down on her own smaller chest, felt Ran's penis pulse lustily just beneath her breastbone. Her own prick barely managed to reach Ran's navel, but the feeling of Ran's warm, soft flesh was intoxicating when coupled with her expert tongue movements.

After thoroughly tonguing Marisa's mouth, Ran gently lifted Marisa's top off and tossed it onto the pile of clothes they'd left on the floor by the toilet. Then she circled behind her, keeping their bodies pressed together all the while. “This is your first time doing something like this, isn't it? I can sense your anxiety,” she said in low tones as she lightly dragged her claws down Marisa's breasts. Marisa let out a sharp gasp as the points pricked across her nipples, her body shuddering with the sensation. “So sensitive, too. What about down here?” One of Ran's hands kept going down, her fingers fanning out on Marisa's pelvis with Marisa’s throbbing prick between two fingers. Ran's other hand still held the strange unknown object, which she held in front of Marisa. From the front it looked like a cylinder of semi-solid jelly with a hole in the center, and the image of Ran wiggling a finger around inside it came back to her as she stared. With a start she realized just what this toy was for, but before she could say anything Ran said “Lick it,” and pressed it against her mouth. It smelled a little strange, but Marisa did as she was told and slipped her tongue into the surprisingly tight hole. The ridges inside confirmed her suspicions as to its use, and she made sure to get it 'nice and wet' at Ran's command. Ran’s breathing intensified, and Marisa became aware of Ran’s cock making a hot, pulsing line from her butt all the way up to the middle of her back. She found herself yearning to touch it, but it seemed Ran had other plans for her and gripped Marisa's cock at the base to set the hole she had licked against her tip. The saliva she'd left inside started to dribble out and down her shaft as she watched the thing slip lower to engulf half of her entire length. Just that short motion caused her to cry out, a sharp moan that made her worry for a second about waking the others. Ran laughed and said, “Good reaction. Bet you've never felt something like this before, huh?” She slowly slid the toy upward, so only Marisa's tip was inside, and then rammed it all the way down to her base. The inner ribbing played across every inch of her cock and she trembled and moaned as it squeezed her entire length. Her dick was completely visible through the clear jelly and long enough to stick out of the hole at the other end a bit. “You're not just a thief, but a pervert, too,” Ran said. Her voice was dripping with lust, and her hot, almost panting breaths washed across Marisa's ear and neck, adding to her pleasure. “Why is it I find you so attractive? I just can't stop teasing you,” she breathed, then dragged her tongue up Marisa's neck before biting lightly. Her free hand attacked Marisa's nipple as she started working the toy up and down Marisa's shaft in a steady rhythm, squeezing it hard so the squishy material bulged between her fingers.

“R-Ran,” Marisa managed between constant gasps and moans. Her mind and body were being assaulted with sensations she'd never dreamed possible. “This is t-too much!” Ran's tongue was circling her ear now, and claws were scraping down her breast again, leaving little white trails that turned a pinkish red a few seconds later. Repeat with her other breast, teeth on her earlobe now, and the ever steady pumping of Ran's fist gripping that amazing device. All of Marisa's effort went into staying standing as her knees began to tremble and the familiar pressure of orgasm made itself known in the pit of her stomach. “I-I'm gonna cum!” Ran laughed lasciviously. She gripped the toy two handed and pumped even faster, resting her head on Marisa's shoulder and breathing heavily as she watched. “Nnn—! Aahh—!” Marisa wasn't sure what she was trying to say but she proved to be incapable of anything beyond grunts and moans as her building orgasm intensified beyond that of anything she'd ever experienced alone. Then it hit her, forcing her to squeal and arch her back against Ran's chest. Her body shook violently as a messy spray of cum shot out the opposite end of the toy to splatter loudly against the tiled floor. Marisa could feel her shaft squeeze and bulge harder than it had ever done to pump out a near constant stream of ejaculate. Her vision went blurry and darkened, her orgasm tearing through her with no signs of stopping, Ran just panting in her ear all the while.

It did eventually stop, however, and Marisa slumped to her knees with Ran's hands under her arms to help lower her. She touched the floor lightly and splayed her hands out to steady herself. Her knees got wet and sticky where the edge of the puddle she'd made oozed around them. She heard a splash and realized she'd closed her eyes to stop the room spinning and to clear her vision. When she opened them she saw Ran standing in the puddle of her fluids, looking down at her with awe on her face.

“That was impressive,” she said, dropping to her knees in front of Marisa. She was still clutching the toy, cradling it in her palm. Marisa could see her cum pooled inside of it, the sight strangely erotic. “But I'm not done with you, yet.”

“Please, just lemme rest for a second,” Marisa said, out of breath and still trembling with aftershocks, but Ran's inhuman speed allowed her to dart two fingers into Marisa's mouth and pull on her tongue. She forced it as far as it would go, and Marisa's eyes went wide as Ran held the abused, cum-filled toy up.

“You must have been saving up for a while,” Ran said. Her eyes were filled with lust, her chest was heaving, and her smile said she really was enjoying having Marisa at her mercy. Marisa wasn't sure she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it just as much. “The smell is quite strong.” Ran tilted her hand and Marisa's cum oozed slowly out of the hole at the end of the toy she'd just been forced to fuck. “Let's have a taste, shall we?” Then Marisa's own cum hit her tongue, but she didn't have the strength to struggle. Repulsion washed over her, but she couldn't deny the underlying arousal she felt. Her cum tasted strong, a little salty and not unlike blood, but thicker, more substantial. Ran continued to let it drip, and it pooled on Marisa's tongue, sliding into her mouth and onto the floor. Then Ran dropped the toy with a wet splat and darted in to take Marisa's tongue in her mouth, swirling the cum around between them. Marisa's repulsion was forgotten as her body once again grew hot. She even started to get hard again as Ran took Marisa's load and swallowed it audibly, opening her mouth wide and sticking out her tongue to show she'd swallowed it all. “Delicious, wouldn't you agree?” she said, licking her lips. Marisa just stared, dumbfounded that not only was this happening, but she was _enjoying_ it.

“Is this—do you and Yukari do stuff like this _all the time_?” She was somewhat in a state of shock, working her tongue around to _get rid_ of the taste, she told herself. She'd just been forced to ejaculate into a blob of jelly, ejaculate she had absolutely _no_ business producing in the first place, and then made to _taste_ it by a beast youkai who got her kicks making Marisa do all of it. Ran hadn't even masturbated, though Marisa could feel wet pre-cum on her back and rear, as well as see it dribbling freely from Ran's tip.

“This is mild,” she said, smiling, “compared to what my master does to me. At least you _enjoyed_ yourself. Speaking of,” she went on, picking the toy up again and looking down it lengthwise, “it wouldn't be fair if you had all the fun, right?”

“Huh? I don't think I could get off doin' this stuff to you. My arms are probably too short anyways.” Ran laughed, a forced theatrical chuckle that she cut short in the middle to emphasize her lack of amusement.

“You seem to have trouble understanding your situation,” she replied, her expression hard. “You are mine.” Marisa just smirked. If she could put Ran off balance, maybe she could work the situation to her advantage.

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. What's next, then? There's no way that thing'll fit inside me, unless you were lyin' when you said you weren't gonna kill me,” she said, pointing at Ran's cock.

“I'm amazed you still have the ability to talk that way in the face of what could have been your death. It makes me want to disprove that just to see the look on your face, but I'm afraid I might feel guilty if I injure you...too much. Reimu might not take you regardless of your condition, but if you were damaged goods? You'd have no chance whatsoever.” Her grin was spiteful, and Marisa's face went hot. How was it so obvious that she had feelings for Reimu? How could someone she almost never spoke to know so much about her?

But Marisa let nothing show, other than her blush, and put on a smirk. “Yeah, you’re probably right. So be gentle okay?” Ran’s expression went flat for a second before she reached out and shoved Marisa onto her back. Marisa’s hands slapped against the tiled floor and her legs straightened out under the force of Ran’s shove. She scowled up at Ran, her palms stinging.

“I’ll consider it,” Ran said, standing. “Oh, you look upset.” Her sharp smile came back to her lips, a slight curve of dominance to them now. “Perhaps I’ve abused you enough. Verbally, at least.” She lifted one foot from the floor and pressed her sole down between Marisa’s legs. Marisa was still hard, and the bottom of Ran’s foot was slick with cum from standing in the puddle. It slipped easily up and down Marisa’s shaft, pressed flat against her pelvis, and the tiny scrapes of Ran’s claws made Marisa shudder and moan with each pass. Just as when she had Marisa from behind and was jerking her off with the toy, Ran’s breathing intensified, and her cock was dripping pre-cum in a thick, clear stream that reached the floor. Marisa’s arms no longer wanted to support her, her body no longer wanted to resist. This felt good. Thoughts of Reimu no longer scrabbled at the back of her mind, her anxiety forgotten in the face of such pleasure. It was better to be honest with yourself, right? Even if it meant getting stepped on by a beast youkai, lying to yourself about it only made it worse. 

But just as she surrendered, just as she made herself willing, Ran stopped. Marisa opened eyes that had been squeezed shut, relaxed muscles that had been contorted with pleasure she could never have imagined possible. Ran was standing with fists on hips, laughing down at Marisa. Her eyes still shone with lust, and Marisa’s no doubt reflected the same. “It seems my idea of abuse is your idea of pleasure, hmm?” Ran said, sliding her foot forward against the floor. Her clawed toes pressed up against Marisa’s pussy, pricking at her outer lips, but it wasn’t fear Marisa felt. It was anticipation, yearning. Her cock was pulsing painfully.

“No point in lyin’ to you about it considerin’ the position I’m in huh?” Marisa replied. “But what’s that say about you? You’re gettin’ off just doin’ this stuff to me.” She reached down between her legs and grabbed Ran’s ankle. Ran was strong, and fast, but Marisa had the element of surprise and yanked hard. Ran toppled easily, already unbalanced with one foot forward as the other slipped on the wet tile. She fell gracefully, twisting in the air to land on one knee and both arms without so much as a sound. But Marisa kept pulling, even when Ran looked behind her with fury in her eyes and a snarl on her lips.

“I thought you wanted to live, you foolish human,” Ran snarled as Marisa grabbed her hips and flipped her onto her back. The fact that she wasn’t resisting confirmed Marisa’s suspicions. Ran was only abusing Marisa because she was so often the subject of such treatment. She was still lying to herself about how much she enjoyed it. She opened her mouth to say something else, but Marisa was on top of her now and mashed their lips together before she could speak. It was messy and sloppy, one of Ran’s fangs slicing Marisa’s lip, but Ran still didn’t fight. Her eyes went wide and her hands came up to either side of Marisa, but they wavered, unsure of what to do.

Then she surrendered, too. Her hands settled on Marisa’s hips, one slipping down to squeeze Marisa’s ass roughly as Marisa returned Ran’s tonguing from earlier tenfold. The look of sheer pleasure on Ran’s face was empowering to Marisa and she pressed her body down into Ran’s, breaking the kiss to attack Ran’s nipples. Their cocks slid together between them, their flesh acting just like Yukari’s jelly toy as it became slick with their mingling pre-cum and sweat. She bit down hard on Ran’s nipple as she pinched and twisted the other. Ran tossed her head back and sighed salaciously, her legs spreading wide beneath Marisa’s assault. As if by instinct, Marisa felt herself get to her knees and position herself with her cock throbbing against Ran’s entrance. Ran looked on in lusty anticipation, but Marisa froze up with her hands lightly clutching Ran’s hips.

“What’s wrong, black-white?” Ran asked, spreading her legs a little further. A tiny part of Marisa’s mind wondered why Ran couldn’t just call her by name.

“I’m about to fuck you,” Marisa replied, disbelief in her voice. “You, and not Reimu.” Ran tensed up, but she didn’t get angry. Instead, she hooked her legs around Marisa’s lower back and held her arms out.

“And you probably never will. So why not enjoy sharing these feelings with someone who accepts them?” Marisa looked to Ran’s face to see sincerity instead of the expected mocking, fang-baring grin.

“You sayin’ you actually want me to do this to you?” Marisa asked. She was just stalling, she knew. She wanted it just as much as Ran did, but she couldn’t help but feel like she was betraying her own feelings. Ran was right, and it hurt that she was right. She didn’t love Ran and Ran probably didn’t love her either.

“Yes,” was Ran’s reply. They desired each other, and that was enough. Marisa let Ran’s legs slide her closer, and she held her member steady at the base. She pushed forward, felt her tip part Ran’s outer lips, and then thrust up into her with a grunt. Ran inhaled sharply, her back arching and her legs clamping down as Marisa bent forward into Ran’s outstretched arms. She felt Ran’s claws scrape against her back looking for purchase as Marisa pounded into her again and again, slowly sliding out before roughly slamming back in. Each of Ran’s sighs and moans was a physical pleasure to Marisa’s ears that almost rivaled the clench of her hot, slick insides pulling Marisa in with each thrust.

Ran smiled up at Marisa as their hips bucked in unison, one of her hands running through Marisa’s hair as she released her leg-lock around Marisa’s backside. “S-so rough,” she said between panting breaths, biting her lower lip as her body writhed beneath Marisa.

“And you love it,” Marisa replied, locking eyes with Ran. “But you’re a beast, so I should fuck you like one.” With that, Marisa pulled out of Ran completely and gripped her torso just under her heaving breasts in an attempt to flip her over. Instead, Ran straightened and got to her knees.

“You’re starting to sound a lot like my master,” she said as she made her way over to the edge of Reimu’s bathtub. She bent over it and arched her back to stick out her butt, her heavy semi-hard cock pressed up against the side so it was bent back between her legs. “But she isn’t here.” She reached an arm behind her and pulled at her rear, revealing her reddened, dripping slit and her tiny pink butthole. Marisa needed no more invitation. She scrambled forward on all fours, her knees scuffing roughly where they weren’t coated in liquid, and straightened behind Ran. She was still quite a bit smaller than her despite both of them being on their knees, but it gave her a perfect angle. She leaned over Ran’s backside as far as she could and thrust into her from behind. Ran lurched forward with a loud, muffled cry, one hand clamped over her mouth and eyes squeezed shut. Marisa pounded into her mercilessly, reaching down between Ran’s legs to squeeze and stroke the length of Ran’s cock that she could reach while Ran continued to wail almost constantly into her hand. Just as before, Ran’s insides were clenched tight around her member, reluctant to release when she pulled out and eager to accept each hammering thrust. Sticky lines connected their hips and Ran’s thighs, making every impact a wet slap that flung particles of their fluids out in every direction. Nothing could stop Marisa now. Not even Reimu. The pleasure racking her body, the intimacy assailing her heart, the fact that she had surrendered herself to Ran and Ran had done so in kind filled her with a satisfaction beyond sexual, but right now sexuality was the way they were expressing those feelings. Marisa wasn’t sure if anything would come of their encounter after it was over, but she was going to enjoy it to the fullest. And she was going to make sure Ran did, too, she thought as she wormed a finger under Ran’s hand and into her mouth.

“I wanna hear you,” she said as Ran’s hand came away. She hooked another finger inside and felt Ran’s lips close over them and her tongue circle around them. It felt surprisingly good, and Marisa let Ran suckle them while her free hand gripped Ran’s ass. Ran seemed to get the idea and opened her mouth with a lusty sigh to release Marisa’s spit-coated fingers, which she guided to the alluringly pink flesh of Ran’s anus. She slowed her rhythmic thrusts and was pleased when Ran slowed with her so they still kept time at the lessened pace. She was looking over her shoulder at Marisa now, her face flushed with effort and pleasure, her mouth wide open and tongue hanging out as she panted. “You’re pretty damn cute when you make that face, Ran,” Marisa said, and then jammed her fingers into Ran’s ass. The muscles clenched down just like her pussy, but the heat was searing and it was a lot tighter inside as she tried to spread her fingers apart with minimal success. Ran loved it all the same, her hand once again clamped over her mouth to muffle her now high-pitched squeaks and moans. She had bent forward over the edge of the tub completely, her fat cock fully erect now and leaving streaks of thick pre-cum across the side. “C’mon, lemme hear you squeal,” Marisa said, pumping three fingers into Ran’s ass now. Ran shook her head side to side, her short hair dripping sweat as she did so. “You ain’t embarrassed are ya?” Marisa asked, letting go of Ran’s dick to pry at the fingers over her mouth. “I like the sounds you make. You get to hear me, so it’s only fair right?” Marisa herself hadn’t actually been moaning or squealing, just grunting or breathing heavily, but it was still true. She hadn’t muffled herself, and knowing she was making Ran make those cute noises had become very important to her.

For whatever reason, Ran agreed with Marisa’s nonsensical logic and let her hand fall away. She really must have been embarrassed; her voice came out subdued, almost quieter than when she was covering her mouth, but as Marisa picked up her pace and put a hand back to Ran’s huge prick, her voice started to gain intensity. She’d brought her hand up again, but only her fingers were touching her lips, one curled inside as she looked back at the pounding Marisa was giving her. Four fingers in her ass now, squelching lewdly in time with Marisa’s cock spearing her insides. “That’s what I wanna hear,” Marisa said, leaning forward to kiss Ran. It was surprisingly passionate, both of them immediately allowing the other’s tongue into their wide open mouths, but it seemed it was too much for Ran, as she cried out just moments later. “I’m going to cum!” she squeaked, voice high pitched. Marisa wanted to see her face but decided that as long as Ran felt good then it was fine if she couldn't, so she slid her fingers from Ran’s ass and let go of Ran’s cock to grab hold of her hips. She hammered into Ran relentlessly, leaning forward to plant little bites like Ran had done to her on her back and shoulders as Ran began to spasm bodily. She reflexively covered her mouth again as a long wail escaped her throat, loud even through her fingers. Juices exploded from Ran’s abused hole to spatter Marisa’s stomach and she could hear Ran’s cum hitting the side of the tub with enough force to make it ring with each burst from the tip of her huge dick. Ran’s wailing alone was enough to push Marisa over the edge but her wildly spasming insides and twitching, bucking hips certainly helped. She came explosively inside Ran’s pussy, a burst of her own white cum shooting out around her shaft on the heels of Ran’s fluids. She was forced to bend over completely and cling to Ran’s waist, both of them shaking uncontrollably as Marisa grunted and Ran squeaked into her hand.

They stayed like that for some time, panting, bent over the tub with Marisa on top of, and still inside, Ran. Marisa could feel a mixture of their bodily fluids ooze and slide down her midriff to run in thick lines down her thighs or drip off of her to add to the growing pool beneath them. 

“Okay, you can stand now, right?” Ran said eventually as she reached up to the knobs on the tub's faucet. Marisa gave a noncommittal grunt and lazily slid off of Ran, her cock slipping out of Ran’s slit with a squishy pop. The sensation made both of them shudder a little, and she ended up with her back against the cum-spattered side of the tub. Ran put the stopper into the tub’s drain and stood up, extending a sticky hand to Marisa.

“Thanks,” Marisa said breathily, taking the proffered hand and getting to shaky knees before standing on even less stable feet. Her knees were practically knocking together, and she ended up slumping forward into Ran and looking up at her with a resigned grin. In response, Ran smiled and brought their lips together for a quick kiss before stepping into the tub with Marisa’s hands in hers.

“I’m sure there’s room for both of us in here, if you don’t mind my non-shrine maiden company for more than just sex.” Marisa scowled and stepped in, but ended up laughing as they sat down opposite each other. She had warmed to Ran’s harsh words, it seemed, and knew she herself had been quite acidic.

“I guess I’ll settle,” Marisa replied with a smile, stretching her legs out briefly to either side of Ran before pulling her knees to her chest. She could feel semi-dried patches of fluids heat up and peel away, little scratches and scuffs burning slightly as the water reached the top of the tub. Ran shut the water off and lay back, legs crossed and arms beneath her head, just staring at Marisa levelly. After a few moments, her level expression turned thoughtful and her cheeks colored lightly.

“Are you really in love?” She asked, cocking her head. Marisa blinked rapidly and looked up at Ran. She hadn't realized that she'd just been staring solemnly into the water. “With the shrine maiden, I mean.”

“I guess I am,” she replied weakly, “I've always really liked her, to be honest. But I've got nothin' to prove it. Especially after tonight.”

“Sometimes words aren't enough to prove feelings,” Ran said, nodding sympathetically. “But you should try them anyway.” She fidgeted a bit and looked off to one side, idly scratching her cheek. “M-my master,” she began, slightly subdued. “She's been somewhat distant lately, though not quite cold.” Marisa looked puzzled, remembering what Ran said about Yukari.

“Ain't that a good thing? Gettin' a little break from—oh.” Ran continued to fidget, avoiding Marisa's eyes, and the color in her cheeks had deepened beyond lounging in a warm bath. “I get it. You're like me, but with Yukari.”

“Yes.” Ran sighed, as if it were more a burden than anything.“I love her. I am utterly devoted to her, yet she treats me as no more than a servant despite our level of intimacy. It is troublesome.”

“Seems like it,” Marisa said, feeling a little sorry for Ran. “Did you just need to vent or somethin'? 'Cause the way I see it, you were treatin' me just like she treats you.” Ran flinched physically at Marisa's accusation, though she hadn't meant it that way.

“I suppose that's true enough.” Ran had stopped fidgeting, but she looked like she felt guilty. “It was nice to be in the position of power. To be _desired_ rather than _expected_ , you understand? Even by a second-rate thieving magician like you.” A hint of Ran's venomous tongue showed through, but it was mitigated by the adorable look she had on her face, red down to her collarbones and almost pouting. This was no doubt difficult for her to say. She felt spurned by her master despite being utterly loving and loyal. Marisa just happened to be her outlet. Marisa saw it as fortunate, in hindsight, doing what she'd done. Now that she knew she'd come away with all her limbs attached, for one, but also because she'd helped Ran out in a way. It felt good realizing that, and not just because it dispelled any guilt associated with molesting her to end up here. “I just don't want you to think I've fallen head over heels for you.”

“I getcha, ” Marisa replied, chuckling a little. Ran still looked embarrassed. “But hey, you ever need to vent again, come find me. We can still chat right? Y'know, if that helps.” Marisa found herself getting embarrassed too, her face matching Ran's coloration. Ran didn't look up, but a little smile crept onto her lips.

“I appreciate the gesture. Perhaps I'll take you up on that offer,” she said. With that, she seemed to regain some of her composure, no longer staring down but not quite looking at Marisa either.

Marisa was happy that Ran had responded positively. Even if they never did anything like this again, Ran's company would be a great opportunity to learn about shikigami. Or maybe there was more to learn about Yukari. She'd probably be a good conversational partner, too. She could save that line of thought for later though, provided Ran ever bothered to seek her out. “So, where do we go from here? I mean, we did some pretty weird stuff.” Right now, Marisa was still a little worried that Ran might use this against her in some way despite admitting to being a little enamored to her. Ran looked at her for a moment, then cocked her head with a wry smile.

“Well, I suppose we could consider each other, say, friends?” Marisa nodded, trying not to let the wave of relief she felt show on her face.

“Ya know, I think I'd like that.” Marisa mirrored Ran's smile. “I'm almost sorry I didn't feel you up sooner.” Ran laughed at that, which put Marisa a little more at ease.

“Good,” Ran said, leaning forward a bit with a strange look on her face. “Friends share secrets, right? I shared with you why I am the way I am. I'm curious as to how you came to be like that, too.” She looked genuinely interested, her gaze a little intense as she awaited Marisa's response. It made Marisa uncomfortable even though Ran already knew her secret. Why was it a big deal if she knew how as well?

“Well, I guess it's pretty obvious ain't it? I'm a magician. I used magic.” She could safely omit the part that she'd only ended up this way because she'd totally botched the spell somehow. It made it worse that she didn't even know for sure what she did wrong, which greatly hindered her enthusiasm for trying again.

“Mm, I see,” Ran said, looking disappointed. The tips of her ears even drooped a little. “Since your speech is so vulgar and your manner so unfeminine, I had assumed you were originally male.”

“Wha—? No way! I was born a girl just like you! Er well, I mean—I know I'm kinda flat and I don't really talk like other girls but—,” She stopped abruptly, realizing Ran had begun to shake with barely-contained laughter, one hand covering her mouth and her ears flat against her head. The sight got a rise out of Marisa. She wondered if seeing Ran with a hand over her mouth would give her a hard-on every time she saw it. “Tch. Ya got me,” Marisa admitted, shaking her head. She couldn't help but smile.

“So you aren't a boy after all,” Ran said, still giggling. “You seem to be sensitive about your chest size. Why didn't you change that, instead?” It was Marisa's turn to blush and fidget, which caused Ran to goad her further. “Don't tell me you already did and that's all you got,” she said, pointing at Marisa's chest.

“Well, about that—,” Marisa began, mumbling low. She found herself willing to confide in Ran. Who else would she tell, anyways? But Ran just kept on poking fun.

“What's that, black-white? You'll have to speak up,” she said, enjoyment plain on her face. Marisa met Ran's mirth with a fiery scowl, threshing the water with her arms.

“I'm sayin', that's what I was tryin' to do in the first place!” she said hotly. “I messed it up and grew a dick instead. Happy?” Ran's smile vanished, but only for a scant moment before she burst into laughter, hugging her arms around her stomach. “Yeah, real funny, ain't it. But think about it for a second. If I'd done it right, you wouldn't have had such a good time tonight.” Much to Marisa's surprise, Ran nodded as she slowly calmed down. Her genuinely mirthful smile was surprisingly fox-like as opposed to her preferred predatory smirk, which was more beastly and less foxy. It was kind of cute.

“I guess that's true,” she said, still smiling wide. “Though, I might have been tempted to just ravage you on the spot had I awoken to a busty Marisa on top of me.” They both laughed at that, but Marisa wasn't entirely sure if that was a joke. Ran wasn't at all perturbed by the fact that Marisa liked girls, as she herself was in love with a girl as well. Maybe there was some sort of depraved night-life underlying the paradisiacal friendliness of daytime Gensokyo that Marisa had only scratched the surface of. Most of Gensokyo's inhabitants were female, not counting the humans in the village. They preferred other mundane humans for partners, which left anyone else pretty much out in the cold. Marisa instantly started mentally pairing people she knew up. Now that she thought about it, it seemed likely that Remilia and Sakuya had something going on. Patchy's relationship with Remilia was pretty ambiguous as well. Not to mention the isolated mountain tengu and kappa, or the underground. Who knew what went on down there?

Marisa felt her face burn up as she snapped back to reality, slowly becoming aware of Ran's voice coming to her as if from a distance. Ran looked concerned, and a little amused. “Just what were you thinking, staring at me like that?” Marisa's first response was to immediately look away, but she ended up glancing down at the ample bit of Ran's cleavage visible above the water's surface. “Ah, so that's it, hm?” she said, turning away from Marisa and sliding across the tub. Marisa instinctively parted her legs, and Ran slid right into her, pressing her back into Marisa's chest and sliding down so their heads were level. “The closeness is comforting,” she said, leaning back and resting her head on Marisa's shoulder. Finally Marisa worked up the courage to look at her, and they locked eyes. It _was_ comforting. She felt a bit like a puppy had followed her home, the way Ran was looking at her. A couple of Ran's tails had twined around her legs as well, but didn't touch anywhere else.

“Y-yeah, I guess it is,” Marisa replied weakly, looking up at the ceiling in a vain attempt to hide her blush.

“But we both have other interests,” Ran said, standing up and stepping out of the tub just as abruptly as she'd pressed into Marisa. “Come help. We need to get this place cleaned up. Since my master knows we're in here she'll probably stall Reimu should the need arise, but there's no telling for sure.” Marisa's stomach flipped as Ran's words sunk in, the sudden foreboding feeling of time working against them making her jump up quickly.

“Yeah, you're right,” Marisa said dumbly as she stepped out of the tub. The side still had thick lines of Ran's fluids oozing down it, mostly near the bottom by now, and then there was the puddle Marisa made in the middle of the floor that was thankfully close to the little drain set in the tile. “Hey, why don't we just overflow the bath?” Marisa asked, padding carefully past Ran and rapidly turning the tub's hot water knob. Ran just watched and sighed as water gushed into the basin, sloshing over the top and down the side. “See? We'll be done in no time.”

“Well, I can't argue with that,” Ran replied. She had started wringing her tails out over the floor drain as the overflowing water made quick work of the mess. Marisa collected her dress and torn bloomers from the floor next to the toilet, trying with some difficulty not to openly watch Ran. It was kind of funny that she had to wring out her tails, but she was still totally nude too, so Marisa started drying hair with her bloomers to hide her gaze. There was no better alternative, anyway, and she figured that wet hair might make Reimu suspicious and raise unneeded questions.

“Hey, where'd you get that?” Marisa finished drying her hair and looked up to see Ran drying off with a proper towel. The water was no longer running either, not a trace left of the liquid evidence of the night's events.

“If you think hard enough,” Ran replied, scrubbing furiously at her tails, “you might be able to figure it out.” To her surprise, there was another, folded towel on the little sink next to the toilet, as well as a pristine pair of white cotton panties. Just as Marisa reached for them, Yukari's hand appeared from a tiny gap and snatched Marisa's damaged bloomers from her. Then Yukari's voice floated out, almost a whisper but loud enough for Marisa to hear.

“I hope you appreciate this,” Yukari's voice was mildly menacing, but Marisa could still hear the smirk that was no doubt quirking her lips. “We'll discuss the terms of your repayment at a later time.” Marisa blanched, trying to think of something to say, but nothing came to her. The gap closed. She and Ran exchanged glances before Marisa gathered up the towel and panties and started drying off proper.

“Well, at least I won't have to explain to Alice how I got that tear in my bloomers,” she said, but she was pretty shaken up. Hopefully Yukari's price wasn't too steep, considering she could get just about anything she wanted out of Marisa. If Ran knew how she felt about Reimu, Yukari had probably known for longer.

“You look a little pale,” Ran said as Marisa dressed herself. “What did she say?”

“She expects some sorta repayment,” Marisa replied, slipping into the panties. She wasn't quite used to the feeling of regular panties since bloomers were the widely excepted norm in Gensokyo. It made her feel exposed, though no one would really care if they saw anyways. Except for one thing. “I dunno what she could possibly want from me, but I got a bad feelin' all the same. Geeze, these're really uncomfortable.” She took a look at herself in the little mirror attached to Reimu's sink and tried dragging her fingers through her hair, then mussed it a bit in an attempt to make it look less wet and more slept-on. Not surprisingly, her single braid had come undone, but she usually undid it before going to sleep anyways. Ran chuckled a little, her reflection appearing above Marisa's to fuss with her fox ears. She was wearing her gown now, and had wet socks clutched in one hand as she brushed her fingers over the backs of her ears. Her hat was still nowhere to be found.

“I guess I don't really need to tell you, but be careful. I've been her familiar for a very long time now and I still have difficulty discerning her motives,” she said, finally looking satisfied. “There's still a few hours until morning, so try to fall asleep.”

“Oh right. But I wasn't wearing my dress when I fell asleep, and I can't just just lay around in these.” She thrust her hips forward to emphasize the already very noticeable lump in the front of her tiny underwear.

“It wouldn't be too difficult to convince someone you put it back on after waking up in the middle of the night. That's even true, mostly,” Ran said, unashamedly staring at Marisa's crotch. “Just don't let anyone see up your dress.”

“That shouldn't be too hard,” Marisa said, waving her hand in front of Ran's face. Ran pushed it away, but her eyes still lingered for a few moments. “They _are_ kinda cute, even if they're plain, don'cha think?”

“Actually, I do,” Ran said, slapping Marisa's butt to shoo her towards the door. “Now hurry up. We've wasted enough time already.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Marisa said with a little laugh. She shrugged into her dress, and then tentatively slid the bathroom door open and peeked out. She was glad to see Reimu's legs sticking out from under the table, on her back now instead of her side. Yukari was presumably still bundled up with Chen in the corner, but Marisa couldn't quite tell in the low light. “Looks clear.” Ran poked her head out above Marisa's, resting her arms on Marisa's shoulders with her ears pointing down the hall. “Hey, get yer fat tits offa me,” Marisa hissed, feeling Ran's weighty breasts pushing into her back. “Are you a fox or a cow?” Ran _hmph_ 'd and stood straight, pushing Marisa out into the hall

“My master appears to be in a sleep-state, and your beloved is nigh catatonic judging by her shallow breathing,” she said. Marisa nodded and crept silently down the hall, wondering just what in the heck 'sleep-state' was. She stopped next to Reimu, considering laying down next to her since Ran said she was 'nigh catatonic', but couldn't manage to quell the guilt she felt when she looked at Reimu's sleeping face.

“You were further that way.” Ran's whisper came from right behind Marisa, making her whirl around with her heart in her throat. Apparently Ran was just as stealthy despite her larger frame. She was smiling, of course, her cute little fox-like grin, but Marisa managed to give her a glare rather than smiling back like she wanted to. Instead, she kicked her dress along the floor until Ran nodded. “Good,” she whispered, then sat down and gingerly tugged on her socks before laying out on her back like she'd been before Marisa got to her. Marisa followed suit, surprisingly worn out now that all the lust, anxiety, and curiosity had drained from her system. Little aches and pains from scratches and exertion flared up here and there against the hardwood floor. At least she didn't have to deal with the studs in her dress digging into her back, though she still felt exposed despite wearing it. Feeling fabric other than bloomers rub against her thighs was strange and uncomfortable, but her fatigue quickly overcame the discomfort and she drifted off into shallow sleep.


	2. Some Strings Attached

II: Some Strings Attached

Marisa wasn’t sure exactly when her senses flooded her mind, but something was definitely wrong. She was sitting up for starters, without any memory of actually waking or moving. The squat, round table she was sitting at was her second clue, as she hadn’t actually seen it in a long while. It was the plain wooden one Reimu had used before chancing upon enough donations to buy a much needed new one. It was pretty beat up, and Marisa could almost remember each and every scratch and nick in its rough surface. A fond smile started to form on her lips but turned into a worried frown when she considered the third misplaced item.

Well, person was more accurate, if Yukari could be considered one. Maybe “thing” was more appropriate. She was sitting opposite Marisa, elbows on the tabletop with her chin in her hands and her implacable smile on her face while she stared in silence. Marisa stared back, wondering just what she would say.

It was almost painfully obvious why these things had come together. Marisa was dreaming. She _had_ to be dreaming. Her anxiety regarding Yukari’s words must have seeped into her subconscious. The smiling youkai hadn’t spoken yet because Marisa’s brain couldn’t fathom what she would say or do, and the old, worn out round table represented diplomacy, Marisa’s desire to clear herself of the only debt that posed a threat to her. But Yukari just kept on staring, minutes ticking by without a sound from either of them.

“Uh, hi, Yukari,” Marisa eventually put forward. She flinched bodily when she actually got a response.

“Hello, Marisa,” Yukari replied, folding her hands atop the table. “You look a bit confused. Do you know why you’re here?” she asked, smiling as if she already knew what Marisa would say.

“I’m dreamin’, right? You’re just me, but with the old hag’s face so I can work out how to handle’er.” It was the only logical conclusion. But then common sense wasn’t worth much in Gensokyo, especially when someone like Yukari got involved.

“Old hag?” Yukari’s smile faded for just a moment, her eyes flashing with malice. It made Marisa’s blood run cold, but soon she was being smiled at again, if a little pointedly. “Well, you’re mostly correct, _black-white_ ,” she said, emphasizing Marisa’s undesired nickname. “You are dreaming, and my purpose is indeed to discuss our arrangement.” Marisa opened her mouth to ask what exactly that arrangement was, but Yukari held up a finger to silence her. “But! I am _not_ just a facet of your mind conjured to solve your problems. And,” she added, huffing a bit, “I am _not_ an old hag!” Marisa closed her mouth, stunned. If she understood, then that meant she was talking to the real Yukari. In her dreams.

“Yer invadin’ my _dreams_ for this?” She practically shouted, throwing her hands in the air. Yukari just laughed as if it were completely normal to visit sleeping people in their own minds. She could gap right into anyone’s dreams and they would ever know it. She might even be able to just kill Marisa on the spot, and…

Suddenly Marisa got to her feet, unfounded terror pounding in her head and making her body move of its own accord. She struggled out of the panties gifted to her, not caring whether Yukari saw up her dress, and then prostrated herself at the mirthful youkai’s side to offer them up. “I am deeply sorry,” she said loudly, eyes squeezed shut and forehead pressed into the tatami. “Please forgive me.”

“What’s all this?” Yukari asked, taking the proffered undergarments. “As tempting as it is, I did not come here to ravage you.”

“Huh?” Tempting? Ravage? Marisa slowly rose to a sitting position, her forehead stinging from the pressure she’d exerted. “So you’re not—not gonna…?” She trailed off, realizing that in less than a day she’d legitimately feared for her life on _two_ separate occasions. Never mind that both were her own damn fault.

“Oh, disappointed are we?” Yukari’s finger slid up Marisa’s neck, tilting her head up slightly. Then she took the panties and snapped them onto Marisa’s head, upside down so they looked like a weird hat. “I need to know if I can trust you first.”

“Trust me? For what?” The wary witch cautiously ran her fingers over her new headwear, but did not remove it. What was Yukari up to? How did trust for a single ordinary mortal factor into her plans?

“You’ll find out,” Yukari replied, standing briskly and turning away. “ _If_ I trust you. Do recall you owe me for what you did to my poor shikigami. There’s also the matter of your reputation as a power-obsessed kleptomaniac.”

“What’s wrong with wantin’ to be strong?” Marisa asked, rather defensively. She was getting more uneasy by the minute. Yukari was usually all smiles, cheery and playful even when she was using you. But Marisa knew a smiling Yukari was not always a happy Yukari. So what did it mean when she wasn’t smiling at all?

“Nothing, but your methods are a bit _strange_ , hm? Stealing other people’s magical tomes and eating every mushroom you come across is a somewhat dubious process. And where would you be without that miniature furnace?” The youkai whirled around in full-on lecture mode, making her target feel increasingly guilty with her accusing glare and these harsh realities. “It seems you only have others to thank for your success.”

“Th-that’s not true!” Marisa tried to sound forceful, to sound like she meant it. But she knew Yukari was right. Sure, she’d spent countless hours doing research and practicing spells, but her nose was buried in _someone else’s_ books, _someone else’s_ spells on her lips. Even her strongest “signature” spell card was a mere copy, a shadow of the original.

“It is,” came the simple reply. “However, you are not without your redeeming qualities. Even those you steal from regularly harbor some affection for you, and there’s not one person in Gensokyo that doesn’t enjoy your company.” Marisa looked up at Yukari with blurry vision, but held back her tears.

“Even you?” She asked, her spirits lifting. “E-even Reimu?”

“Even Reimu and I. She speaks rather fondly of you, in her own harsh way.” Marisa nodded slowly, smiling to herself. She felt a little guilty for doubting her friendship with Reimu, but it felt good having that reassurance. “But that does not absolve you,” Yukari said, dropping to a crouch in front of Marisa. The magician leaned back, a little frightened by the intensity in Yukari’s eyes. “I will ask of you one simple thing. Only _I_ can absolve you.”

“What do you mean?” Absolution wasn’t something Marisa could just outsource, especially not to this manipulative, voyeuristic “sage”. “I feel guilty for all that stuff, but you can’t fix that.”

“Maybe so,” Yukari said, her eyes still shining. “But I can give you the opportunity to forgive yourself. It’s not as if you’re a criminal. As I said, you are well-liked almost universally.”

“Almost.” She was surprised she wasn’t utterly despised, though even Yukari wasn’t hated and she was arguably more of a nuisance than a klepto-witch.

“Just answer one simple question. Depending on what you say, I may be able to truly trust you.” Silence descended with the two of them watching one another while Marisa contemplated her options. When it came down to it, she was still in danger. If she didn’t do as Yukari said, didn’t seem trustworthy, maybe her life wasn’t all that important. And of course, she was curious what exactly this huge question would be.

“Alright,” she acquiesced. “Ask away.” She scrubbed the back of her hand across her face as Yukari started to speak, grinning wide when she was done. Yukari was still not smiling.

“Good choice. It really is a simple question,” she said, just now putting on a tiny smirk. “I want to know your deepest, darkest secret.”

“Wha—? That ain’t even a question!”

“You will tell me nonetheless.”

“No, no way! How’s that supposed to make me feel better?”

“Then, you won’t tell me?” The youkai’s smile faded and she slowly stood up again. “Then I’ll make it even easier on you. Just confirm my suspicions.”

“If y’already know then why bother askin’?” Marisa was pinching her cheek, hard, but was not waking up. She’d never admit to being in love with another girl. Hopefully Yukari’s suspicions were way off, but somehow Marisa knew they weren’t.

“It’s more a matter of finer details.” Yukari opened her hands in front of her, one palm open to the ceiling and the other to the floor. “Who is it? The frail bookworm?”

“Wha—?” In Yukari’s upturned palm, a small caricature of Patchouli knowledge appeared. It wore a tiny downturned triangle for a frown, and had tired looking, half-lidded eyes. It also clutched a large book, almost as big as its miniature body, and Marisa could see the silhouette of a humanoid etched into the front.

“Or perhaps the puppeteer?”

“You—you got it all wrong. M-my secret isn’t—,” But Marisa stopped short as a wooden doll resembling Alice dangled from invisible strings connected to Yukari’s other hand. It was nude and featureless from the neck down, except for articulate joints that rattled and clacked. In one hand the doll held an even smaller doll that Marisa recognized as herself. In the other she clung to a heart-shape, also made of wood, but bound by numerous thin strands of black chain.

“What the hell’re these?” Marisa cried, scrambling backwards. “I-if you’re trying to scare me, it ain’t workin’!” Another lie. Yukari already knew everything. It was only a matter of time until she put two and two together.

After her impromptu acquisition of male reproductive organs, Marisa had spent too many nights to count with thoughts of her fellow magicians fulfilling her every unclean desire. As far as fantasies go, she was not afraid to leave Reimu out now and again. But in reality, she’d avoided Patchy and Alice to spend all her spare time at the shrine. And for what? To catch a glimpse of Reimu’s sarashi, or her non-existent cleavage? All the better to fuel her inner fire when she returned home.

And Yukari knew. Well, almost. Why couldn’t Reimu just figure it out? Why else would Marisa make so much effort to be near her? She slammed a fist against the floor in frustration, making Yukari cock her head questioningly despite her piercing smile. “I ain’t talkin’! Just lemme wake up already!” Yukari tutted and closed her fingers over the miniature magicians.

“Then I’ll just have to keep guessing,” she said, bringing her fists to the sides of her head. She looked like a preening cat, but when she pricked her forefingers up, a pair of fox ears sprang from the top of her head. “Perhaps you were so smitten with Ran that you just couldn’t keep your hands off of her?” A tail waved lazily into view on either side of her as well. She really wasn’t going to give up. Which meant she still didn’t know for sure.

“Nope,” Marisa said flatly. She’d taken to pinching the sensitive flesh on the back of her arm, turning it an angry red.

“ _Hmph_.” The transforming youkai delicately raised the skirts of her violet dress to step out of her plain black shoes. Then she kicked them away and pulled her dress yet higher. “Then maybe this will set your heart a-flutter.” Marisa caught a glimpse of red, and the short, frill-fringed socks she wore looked very familiar. In one smooth motion Yukari drew her left arm into the sleeve of her dress, then clutched the loose fabric and tugged the entire thing off over her head.

Marisa’s eyes widened in shock and her jaw hit the floor. Instead of racy lingerie like she’d imagined the snarky youkai would wear, Yukari stood before her in a liberal interpretation of Reimu’s usual outfit. “Ah, a reaction!” Yukari said, swaying her exposed hips. The usually modest shrine maiden skirt clung to her rather tightly, with large slits that revealed her flesh from waist to upper thigh. The top was no better, fitting to her fair-sized chest so that the white criss-cross of _sarashi_ was visible through the wide, sleeveless sides. “So Reimu is the one, hm?”

“I never said that!” Marisa huffed, trying to avoid looking directly at Yukari as she struck another pose. She was failing miserably, and Yukari knew it. She even had Reimu’s hair ornaments framing her face with thick bands of her golden hair. She forsook the bow, however, as she still had Ran’s ears.

“Why can’t you just tell the truth?” she asked, smiling seductively. “I”ll even _reward_ you. How’s that for incentive?” She ran her hands from her waist on up, passing over her bound breasts and raising them over her head.

“Outta everyone you named, _you_ are the last one I’d want,” Marisa said, snarling in mock disgust. Almost the opposite was true though. Yukari was undeniably sexy, her thin yet curvy figure quite pleasing to the eye. She wasn’t as voluptuous as Ran, but at the same time she easily surpassed Marisa’s rather lacking sex appeal. Marisa was squeezing her knees together in an effort to slow her hardening member’s momentum.

However, Yukari took Marisa’s distaste for genuine and a dark scowl shadowed her features. She stomped forward, not stopping when she reached Marisa, and planted her foot right in the center of the petrified witch’s chest.

“Shi—ow!” Marisa clutched at Yukari’s ankle as she was forced onto her back, her lungs struggling to inflate. “G-get off!” The pressure increased. “I—,” she gasped, feeling like her chest was about to cave in. “I didn’t mean it! Honest!” Yukari had her own snarl on, but she removed her foot. Marisa felt her breastbone expand and sucked in a huge breath, only to have fabric plug her mouth as her dress was tugged sharply upward. “Damn it!” her words were muffled as she flailed futilely, forced to sit up as she was stripped. “You’re startin’ to piss me off,” she said after her dress, and fortunately her strange headwear came away and she’d flopped onto her back.

“Imagine _my_ frustration,” Yukari replied flatly. She no longer looked angry, but determined, standing over Marisa and looking down at her with a concentrated scowl. She looked like Reimu did when she got serious in a danmaku duel. It made Marisa’s breath catch, before it was knocked out of her by Yukari’s rear impacting her stomach. “You’re rather amusing, if nothing else,” Yukari said with a wry smirk. “You were just so feisty! Do I scare you more with _proximity_?” She brought her face close to Marisa’s, making the pinned magician flinch. The determination burning in her deep purple eyes was maybe a little frightening.

“I said I ain’t talkin’, so just do me in and get it over with. Say, will I disappear in the real world if you get rid’a me here?” Marisa didn’t truly believe she’d lose her waking body if she died here. She didn’t dare think about the consequences if she was wrong, though. She’d defied Yukari anyways in the end, after rational though asserted itself through her initial terror. She’d kind of enjoyed putting Yukari off balance like that, but now she might die for it.

“As much as I’d love to at this point,” Yukari traced her fingers down Marisa’s neck as she spoke, “I can’t. The truth is I need you. But you must tell me! Who is it you care for most?”

“Wait, you’re sayin’ you _need_ me and you treat me like _this_?” Marisa was more than a little surprised. No wonder Yukari was so frustrated. Her usual subterfuge hadn’t worked. A bit of a smirk quirked Marisa’s lips that she couldn’t quite keep down. She’d made Gensokian history this day. _“Here lies Marisa Kirisame, the only human to defy Yukari Yakumo.”_ Actually, Reimu probably gave the border youkai more trouble than just saying “no”, but it was an amusing thought nonetheless. “Maybe you should’a made sure _I_ trusted _you_ first.”

“Interesting.” Yukari nodded slowly, and then smiled. “Yes, perhaps. But we’re here now, and I’ve no means of quickly gaining your confidence.”

“Ya got that ri—,” Marisa’s scathing comeback trailed away as she felt something soft yet prickly slide across her stomach, coming to rest on the unnatural bulge in her tiny underwear.

“Thus, I will have to use _other_ methods.” The slithering appendage retracted slightly before worming its way into Marisa’s waistband. “For all your blustering, this right here is what’s going to give you away,” Yukari said as her tail pulled her captive’s throbbing prick from its tiny cotton cage.

“ _Hmph_.” Marisa grunted, tightening her stomach muscles in an attempt to distract her body. “I haven’t said a thing.” Even as she denied the truth, Ran’s words came back to her. _“Your body doesn’t lie as well as your mouth does.”_ It had been somewhat fortunate in her clash with the fox spirit, but now her traitorous magical appendage was practically singing for Yukari.

“Oh, but you will,” Yukari replied. Her tail twined up the length of Marisa’s cock, its bristly tip running circles around the head. “Or you’ll go mad.” Then she grinned wickedly, and Marisa cried out as an unbearable pressure clamped down on her base even as the silky pricking feeling pleasured the rest of her length.

She had forgotten something crucial: the most sadistic—scratch that, _second_ most sadistic creature in all Gensokyo was sitting on top of her with the intention of torturing her, and all for a simple question. But the stubborn thief was not about to swallow her pride. “Y-you think this is bad?” She smirked with a cool confidence she didn’t feel. “You should’a seen what your pet did to me.” The pet that had used her as an outlet because of the way the abusive youkai atop her at this very moment had treated her. Goading that creature was definitely her best option.

“Ah, yes. I did see, as a matter of fact.” Yukari leaned forward and slipped her forefinger into her captive’s mouth, running it over the cut on the inside of Marisa’s bottom lip. “A very bold move on your part.”

"Thanks,” Marisa smiled around the finger in her mouth. Yukari’s smirk faded a little.

“Your legs are a little worse for wear, too,” she went on as she ran a thumb across Marisa’s cheek. “She even scratched your cute little face!” A pout of mock sympathy showed for a moment before she was smiling again. It was the smile of a winner. “But you won’t have such an opportunity with me.”

“I dunno, I’m pretty—gah!” The pressure on the base of Marisa’s dick tightened, making it swell and throb painfully. A scowl turned Yukari’s smile dark, the very image of sadism.

And Marisa found herself enjoying it. The pain she felt was edged with a fuzzy pleasure as Yukari’s tail continued to milk her engorged shaft and tip almost delicately, deftly corkscrewing up and down to alternate between silky smooth friction and prickling roughness. All she needed now was Yukari to run some claws up and down her chest and she’d buckle as soon as her orgasm subsided. But the youkai’s plans were more sinister than Marisa’s wild fantasy.

Her captor upped her pace, her tail sliding so fast and squeezing so tight it felt like the jelly device but with fur and muscle. She laughed while Marisa moaned beneath her and braced her hands on either side of the writhing human to mash her thumbs roughly into Marisa’s nipples. They sunk into her meager breasts, Yukari’s thumbnails indenting their centers sharply. Marisa cried out again, not with pain, but with overwhelming pleasure, pleasure she’d never even dreamed of. “Now the fun part,” Yukari said, circling her thumbs. “Tell me what I want to know.” Marisa barely heard her as her orgasm set her quaking. Her hands clasped Yukari’s wrists weakly, and her breath came in erratic bursts as her hips bucked against her captor’s weight.

“Nn—never,” she managed through gritted teeth, but quickly wished she’d had the breath to say the exact opposite.

“Wrong answer!” Yukari lilted. She untwined her tail entirely save for the crushing pressure around Marisa’s base. Mind numbing pleasure became screaming pain as Yukari withdrew her gentler ministrations.

“Ahh, shit!” Marisa cried, clinging to Yukari so tightly her knuckles showed white. “F-fine, I’ll say it! I’ll say it, let go!”

“Say it first,” was the calm reply. It all made sense now. There was no way Yukari would come onto Marisa for real. Her “reward” was another ploy, an act to get what she wanted.

“I—I like girls! I always have!”

“Not good enough!” Marisa squeezed her eyes shut against the pain, not a single drop of fluid escaping the vice-grip on her madly twitching cock. She felt stupid for even trying that. She’d _had sex_ with a girl. “Though I didn’t know you swung that way all along.” Yukari laughed as Marisa let out another obscenity.

How had she gotten herself into this? Bad question. Why was Yukari doing this to her? Because she was needed? For what? “Gah! Reimu! I’m in love with Reimu!” Marisa’s guts surged with elation at voicing her feelings, dulling her pain momentarily, but Yukari did not release her.

“See, now was that so hard?” In the end, Marisa’s yearning to _know_ , her insatiable curiosity, had outdone even the urge for sexual release, which had been ruling her life for nearly a month now. And she hadn’t even gotten that. “But—,”

“Lemme go, damn you!” All bets were off, now. Yukari hadn’t followed through and Marisa lashed out in anger, mashing her hand into her captor’s face and pushing with all the strength she could muster. The youkai let out a refined murmur of irritation before attempting to pry her captive’s hand away.

“You’re just exacerbating your disadvantage!” She said, her words slightly muffled from her cheek being squished.

“I told you what you want! Let! Me! Go!” Marisa’s other hand shot out, sinking into Yukari’s moderate bosom. She fished for a nipple, just barely able to find it though the double layer of cloth, and twisted it hard.

“Oh! You—!” Yukari’s hands moved faster than Marisa could see to wrap loosely around her neck, and she froze immediately despite the painful constriction she was still enduring. Wide eyed, she slowly withdrew her hands. In return, Yukari unwound her tail just as slowly, but Marisa’s orgasm was forgotten. Her member slowly deflated, a dull ring of flaring pain at her base more than welcome compared to what had caused it.

Silence descended, the only sound the panting of the room’s two occupants as they stared at one another. Yukari straightened atop Marisa and finally released her lax grip on Marisa’s neck to let her arms dangle loosely at her sides. She grinned, huge, childlike almost. “I forgot how fun things can be when you aren’t in control of everything.” Marisa just continued to stare warily.

“Easy for you to say. My dick’s gonna fall off now. You killed _it_ , instead of me.” She felt unclean on the inside with all that pent up fluid having nowhere to go. It was one thing wondering where it came from. She never imagined she’d end up wondering where it ended up if it couldn’t get out.

“We can’t have that. I need it. Gensokyo needs it,” Yukari said. She hadn’t budged from her seat on Marisa’s gut. The pinned magician was not willing to try to move her.

“’Scuse me? _Gensokyo_ needs _my dick_?” There was only one person Marisa wanted to give it to. Well, one person she wanted _most_ , but Yukari was now aware of that all the same. “I just told you I’m—y’know, in love.”

“Yes, you did.” Yukari nodded, her eyes losing focus for a moment before she shifted from Marisa to sit on the floor. “Sit. First, I must apologize.”

“Damn right,” Marisa huffed, though she sat up at Yukari’s command. She took a tentative peek at her penis, noting the pale ring that still hadn’t filled in near the bottom. She couldn’t even fix it, or get a new one, if that indent never went back to normal.

“I did not release you initially because I wanted to be sure you were telling the truth.” Despite the enjoyment on her face when torturing Marisa, Yukari seemed genuinely apologetic for her harsh methods. “Your answer—,” she hesitated, idly fingering one of her borrowed hair ties. “It complicates things.”

“How? I don’t even know what “things” you mean.” Complicated. Not a good start. “Well, at least this whole ordeal wasn’t for nothin’.” At least there was a chance the things Marisa had endured actually _meant_ something.

“Indeed. Now, where to begin?” Yukari folded her hands in her lap. “What do you know of the Great Hakurei border?”

“Ahh, well,” Marisa stuttered, the question catching her off guard. “Not much,” she admitted. Barriers did not interest her. “It was put up a century ago or somethin’ to seal Gensokyo off from the rest’a the world. Other’n that, all I know is it really sucks maintaining it.” Reimu complained about it quite often, even calling Yukari a slacker sometimes when she really got going. “Aren’t you s’posed ta help with that? Reimu whines about you kind of a lot.”

"I see. Well, you know enough. The issue at hand is the barrier’s integrity.” Yukari was frowning, her brow knit with the import of her plight.

“Isn’t that more Reimu’s area’a expertise? Or, I dunno, _yours_?”

“Normally you’d be correct, but frankly, what needs to be done can only be done by _you_. Reimu is not only incapable, but it would jeopardize her position as the Hakurei miko.” Wait, what? Reimu, _incapable_ of something? Marisa’s curiosity grew tenfold. Despite her feelings, she’d jump at almost any opportunity to one up Reimu and she was pretty much deadlocked into this one. But it was still a little strange.

“You’re tellin’ me I have to do it ‘cause both you _and_ Reimu _can’t_?” Yukari nodded solemnly. “That’s a little hard to believe.”

“The barrier is weakening across its entirety, Marisa, and the issue is Gensokyo’s inhabitants themselves.” Yukari’s tone was grave, and her seriousness sobered Marisa’s doubts. She would not come to a mortal witch for aid unless it was absolutely necessary. Probably. “The barrier is fueled by connections, emotional connections, but there’s a catch. The feelings have to be mutual. Any feeling at all, between any living things capable of them, as long as they are shared. Gensokyo has grown complacent, and the barrier sees little need to fulfill its duties protecting a people that have become so self-satisfied, or else are so afraid to say how they feel. The sparks of strong, _sincere_ emotions no longer light the lives of Gensokyo, thus the barrier is dissolving.”

“Damn, that sounds serious,” Marisa said dumbly. “Serious” was a grand understatement. “H-how much time do we have? And what do I gotta do to help?” She saw the complication now in her feelings for Reimu. Her love would never be returned. The unpleasant memories of Yukari’s dolls surfaced, and Marisa had to wonder; were Patchy and Alice where Yukari’s hopes had lain? Did they already feel for Marisa?

“Time, I am unsure. It would be safe to say not a lot.” Marisa winced. “As for your role, you need to, well, forge emotional connections. It is both very simple and very complex, but I have considered it. The easiest yet at the same time most powerful connection is—,”

“Sex,” Marisa finished. Yukari nodded.

“Ah, yes. A physical act embodies an emotion and strengthens it greatly. Violence would strengthen anger or hatred, and maybe jealousy as well. Sadness and melancholy I can only imagine would be validated by some shared cathartic process, or perhaps mutual suicide.” Yukari made to go on but Marisa held up a hand.

“Okay, I got it. So our best bet would be affection beefed up with—with _intimacy_.” Despite her brash nature, Marisa found it difficult to so casually refer to something she thought of as so intimate.

“Correct! I suppose your background as a magician, and perhaps even a common thief may prove useful.” Yukari’s smile was playful, and Marisa couldn’t help but mirror it. “Our options are thus twofold.”

“Shoot.”

“One: You establish and physically, ah, let’s say _sanctify_ several affectionate relationships.” That did not bode well for Marisa’s feelings. Then again, she’d fucked Ran and couldn’t bring herself to regret it. Doubt began to flood her again, but it was chased away as Yukari continued. “This would, of course, be the most consistent route.” She smiled slyly with a slight tilt to her head. “You’ve already established one, and I can safely say it had a distinctly positive effect.”

“Y-you mean with Ran?” Marisa well remembered the intimate, deeper-than-flesh connection she had felt.

“You swept my little Ran right off her feet.” She laughed, no doubt making another pass at how Marisa had provoked Ran.  “And I know of three other candidates who would be much more willing participants in your sordid fantasies.” She looked surprised when Marisa scoffed at her.

“What’s option two?” Marisa asked, though she was pretty sure she knew. Yukari looked a little uneasy as she chose her words.

“Your love interest. If it were mutual, if you both voiced your feelings to one another, it would likely solve this whole incident on the spot.” She smiled sadly. No, that was sympathy. She pitied Marisa’s love. “But that is very unlikely. Even if she felt the same, her sense of duty would not permit her to realize it.”

“Yeah,” Marisa sighed. Her heart felt like a lump of lead in her chest. She wanted to claw it out and throw it away.

“So the obvious course of action would be our first choice; lots of minor connections amplified by physicality.” Yukari’s eyes had hope in them, but her face still had pity written all over it. Marisa nodded.

“Right. So who’re these “candidates”?” More like targets. Maybe she’d be able to drown out her feeling with these lesser three. Quantity over quality or something.

“Two should be obvious.” Again Marisa thought of the mini replicas of her fellow magicians.

“Patchy likes me? For real?” That was a bit of a shocker considering she was Marisa’s primary “lender” next to Kourin. They’d actually had some time to work out their differences after a certain incident that saw them jammed into a space-rocket bound for the moon with four other people, but Marisa had soured it again, back to her old ways once they’d returned home.

“Absolutely smitten, as is miss Margatroid,” Yukari replied with a somewhat lecherous smile. “A surprise I’m sure.”

“No kiddin’. And the third lucky winner?” Names and faces flashed through Marisa’s mind, but none sparked more than friendship, if that. The actual answer would’ve made her drop into the nearest seat were she not sitting already.

Yukari leaned forward slightly, with a conspiratorial glance to either side. Then she looked into Marisa’s eyes with a small yet confident smile. “Me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again. Here's the second installment to Non-Directional Lover. Isn't that a cheesy title? I love puns, though. This chapter turned out to be a lot shorter than the last, but it feels like just as much happened. Well, I hope you enjoyed. There's more on the way, so keep an eye out!


	3. Overdue Returns

III: Overdue Returns

For a single, agonizing second Marisa could actually feel her flesh splitting, a horrible burning pain that made her body jerk back to consciousness. She convulsed with a heavy thump against the hard floor of the real shrine, eyes snapping open and chest heaving as if she'd awoken from a nightmare. Immediately she ran her hands over her midsection, expecting to see a bloody rent in her dress. There wasn't one, but she yanked up her skirts anyways and ran her hands over her bare stomach, her nearly panicked breathing slowly subsiding as her mind confirmed her body's safety.

Of course she was okay. She'd been dreaming. But damn had it hurt! The flesh of her belly crawled uncomfortably, a faint echo of the terrible pain she'd only felt for a mere moment. She let out the breath she'd been holding as a heavy sigh, and closed her eyes as she tried to stabilize her rapidly beating heart.

When she opened them again, something a little more disturbing than crawling flesh made itself apparent. She was rock hard, her uncomfortable underclothes sporting a fat dark spot where precum had soaked in. She glared at the bulge expectantly, as if it would explain itself.

"What the hell's wrong with me?" She asked it, but somebody else answered.

"I've got a couple ideas."

Marisa flinched and banged her head on the floor again as she tilted it up to see Reimu sitting at her little table with a glass of water. She had her chin in her hand with her usual look of disinterest.

"M-mornin' Reimu," Marisa said as casually as her quavering voice would allow. She tried to laugh, but it came out as a nervous mutter as she clumsily smoothed her dress down and bent her knees to hide her erection. "So uh, how long ya been sittin' there?" Her eyes flickered to look at anything but the mask of apathy that was Reimu's expression. It was obvious the miko had seen, but how was she staying so calm?

"Long enough to know you have some pretty weird dreams," Reimu replied. She took a slow sip at her water without looking away from the witch lying on her floor with a hard-on, nor did she show any sign she was aware of said witch's abnormality. She couldn't be that ignorant, right? Marisa could only hope.

"Nightmare's more like it," the shaken magician said, closing her eyes and swallowing hard.

Yukari. It was all Yukari's fault. Marisa was willing to help so wasn't that enough? But the haughty youkai had to offer herself up, had to make things even more complicated, all the while wearing that cocky, overconfident smirk like she was doing Marisa a favor. What had she expected? The girl she'd justgot done torturing toforget instantly? Just jump into her arms and make love?

Hell no. Marisa had said as much. But she should have known what would happen. She was just saying the sharpest things she could think of, upset at being manipulated and held captive in her own head. In truth, she was a little scared of the sadistic youkai, but the anger Yukari had expressed the first time Marisa hinted at disliking her should have been warning enough not to make the same mistake twice.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," the now twice-spurned youkai said with a sigh. "I suppose I'll have to let you go then." She looked up slowly, wearing a sharp smile with nothing but malice behind her eyes. "I'll even help you back to the waking world!" In the next instant she flew forward, a red blur in her pseudo-shrine maiden outfit, and then her hand was inside Marisa's stomach. And Marisa could actually feel it, if only for a brief moment. She remembered trying to stumble backwards but being held in place by Yukari's other hand. That and the terrifying creature's evil grin, almost hidden in a cascade of her long golden hair.

"You wanna talk about it?" Reimu's voice made Marisa's eyes snap open, the unpleasant recollection giving way to the slightly less unpleasant feeling of being cornered. She sat up slowly and crossed her legs, facing Reimu but still unable to look at her.

"Ahh, nah. I'll be alright," she replied. Maybe Eirin would take her as a psych patient. Running away from home and having issues with your folks was one thing, but being tortured and stabbed by a thousand year old youkai was a whole different level of trauma.

"You sure? There isn't anything you want to, oh I dunno, tell me?" Marisa thought she heard a smile in Reimu's voice, but when she looked up she only got the typical apathetic glare tinted with the hint of a scowl.

"Um," was all the witch could manage, looking to the side and then up at the ceiling. "Nope," she decided, her gaze coming back down to Reimu. "Can't think'a nothin'."

"Then let me ask you a question," Reimu began. She paused for a moment, briefly glancing at Marisa's legs. "Why can't you just be honest with me?"

"About what exactly?" Marisa feigned ignorance, her face rapidly heating up. This was it. There was no getting out of this one.

"Seriously?" huffed the shrine maiden. "I'm almost offended. As embarrassing as it is, I care about you, you black-white idiot."

Marisa's eyes widened. Was that affection? "Yer sober right?" she asked, sitting up and eying her angry friend skeptically. Reimu almost never let her feelings show, let alone sentimental ones. "Oh, I get it. That ain't water is it? Lil' early, don'tcha think?"

Reimu just sighed. "Look, I've known about your— about that for a while now. You can't hide something like that when you end up passed out drunk here more often than you sleep in your own bed." Her expression changed from an irritated scowl to one of concern. "You can tell me anything, Marisa."

"Wait, what the hell's goin' on? Why're you lookin' at me like that?" Panic shot the cornered magician through, tinged with indignation at Reimu's misplaced concern. That uncaring, unfeeling girl had never ever said anything so— so mushy. "I trust you'n all but—" A little part of Marisa realized that she was starting to freak out more than Reimu was, so she took a deep breath and tried to choose the most concise way of explaining her situation. Why couldn't she actually just be honest?

"You're avoiding the subject," Reimu said softly. "I've kept it to myself for this long. You at least owe me an explanation." There was reason in that, even if it was Reimu's blunt, unforgiving flavor of reason. And a little part of Marisa wanted to tell the truth. Sharing secrets is sharing burdens, and if the apathetic miko accepted it, they would be that much closer, right? Marisa would be that much closer to— "Is it really that difficult?"

"Ahh! What's to tell?!" Marisa threw her hands into the air and raised her voice, her face turning crimson almost instantly. Her train of thought became a jumbled wreck at the prospect of furthering her relationship with Reimu. "You saw it! I have a dick!" The embarrassed magician's voice went from a shout to almost a whisper as she went on, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "What do you want me to say? This isn't somethin' you just chat with your friends about, ya know?" She almost apologized, too, but she quelled the urge.

"There's more to it than that," Reimu said sternly. "I know there is."

"What?" Marisa met Reimu's level stare with outright confusion. "There's nothin' else, honest!"

"Marisa, I'm not dumb. Girls don't have— that," Reimu said, a little harshly now. "So quit lying to me."

"Are you sayin' I'm not a girl?" Marisa asked, squinting accusingly in response to her friend's scowl.

"You're not. You can't be," Reimu replied, crossing her arms. "Keeping secrets is fine, even though it hurts that you didn't trust me enough to tell me. But lying to me about it after I already know the truth just pisses me off, Marisa."

"It's the truth! Whaddo I hafta to do, show ya?" This was the second time her gender had been called into question, and it got under her skin just as easily as the first. "Look," she sighed and sat straight up, a little disappointed that Reimu didn't say yes. "I'm a girl," she said, forcing herself to meet Reimu's gaze. "No foolin'. I'm also a magician, remember? I used magic to alter my body." She couldn't keep a little smile off of her face as she felt her cheeks heat up yet again. "Well, sort of." Reimu looked skeptical as she glanced at Marisa's chest.

"Sort of, huh? Well, fine," Reimu acquiesced. She uncrossed her arms, and even smiled back. "I'll trust you. One more question though." Marisa rolled her eyes, nodding only a little reluctantly. "Why do you need a, uh— that thing anyways?" She should have expected that. If she hadn't been so distressed it would have been cute seeing Reimu blush and avoid saying dirty things.

"Well, I don't really." That wasn't true anymore, but she couldn't tell the whole truth. Yet. "I just wanted to add a little, y'know?" The petite witch patted her chest with a sheepish smile. "I botched it though. And turned out like this."

"That's it, huh?" Reimu's brow knit in a thoughtful scowl. "I mean, even before I happened to see up your dress I was almost convinced. But after, I thought you were definitely a boy. Sorry," she added, her expression lightening. A grin poked out around her teeth as she chewed her lower lip.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I don't exactly act like a girl," Marisa said, looking off to the side. Rough speech, androgynous form, kleptomania, and an obsession with being strong. Not exactly feminine qualities.

"Not to mention you're flat as the plains." Reimu's laughter finally bubbled out, sweet music to Marisa's ears despite the fact that she was being taunted.

"You're one to talk!" Marisa slowly looked Reimu over, tapping her chin with a finger. "How do I know you're not just a cross-dressin' boy?" The thought gave her the brief mental image of the shrine maiden in nothing but panties, sporting a cute little package.

Reimu just looked surprised for a second, but then she started to pull her arms into her top. "Well, I'll humor you," she said, turning all the way around. Her shirt slid away entirely to reveal her rosy skin and the perfectly straight, white bandages she bound her chest with. Marisa watched with her jaw hanging open, mind racing with possible outcomes to this unexpected event as her friend began to expose herself. She unwound the bandages slowly and deliberately, as if they were fragile, a few loops around her torso, then her left shoulder, then a few more loops around her torso again before they finally came undone from her right shoulder.

"So that's how it works," Marisa said absentmindedly. Now Reimu's sarashi lay in a pile next to her, and she turned her side to Marisa with one arm across her chest. "Unlike you," she said, wearing a wry smirk despite being half nude, "my figure matches my appearance." She lifted the arm that wasn't occupied, giving Marisa an only slightly obstructed view of one of her breasts. Better still, she wasn't wearing the wide sleeves that went with her uniform. There was nothing stopping Marisa from outright ogling her.

"How...?" Marisa's face was burning up, and she had to push her hands between her legs to hide her reaction. Reimu's fingers were pressed lightly into the center of her breast, hiding just the nipple while still leaving a surprising amount of flesh uncovered. "Just how tight're those wraps?" she asked. She found herself staring unashamedly, unable to choose between Reimu's smooth underarm and her shapely breast.

"Tight enough," Reimu replied, lowering her arm. "You answered me honestly, so it's only fair right?" Her eyes flickered across Marisa's legs, where the witch had folded her hands for obvious reasons. "I just want you to know I actually trust you." The beginning of a blush was creeping up her collarbones as she turned away again to slip her top back on.

"R-right. Right, sorry. I really am," Marisa babbled on, apologizing by reflex with the image of Reimu's exposed flesh filling her mind's eye. "I just— it's weird knowin' you care. I mean I know you've always cared, but," Reimu flapped her hand with a small smile and a shake of her head. "You know what I mean. I just wonder, what's the deal? You worried about somethin'?" Marisa smiled to show she wasn't too serious, but she was speaking honestly. "Tyin' up loose ends?"

"What?" Reimu scoffed, trying to scowl but grinning instead. "Not even close. I've just done some thinking is all."

"Just a little bit'a thinkin' turned you soft as a red'n white pillow, huh?" Marisa said with a smirk. She almost mustered the courage to ask just what it was her friend had been thinking about, but Reimu abruptly got to her feet.

"Well, I need a bath." The shrine maiden's voice and expression were flat again, as if the exchange that had just taken place was nothing out of the ordinary.

"A-alright," Marisa replied awkwardly, glancing at Reimu's chest before catching herself and looking at the floor. The unwrapped miko's breasts actually jiggled when she stood, and now noticeably filled out her top. When wearing her sarashi, she looked as flat as Marisa.

"Don't eat anything, okay?" Reimu said as she went off down the hall. The question was as good as a command. Even if Reimu hadn't said not to, Marisa wouldn't dare. The nearly penniless shrine maiden noticed when even a single rice cracker was missing.

"I can have water right?" Marisa asked Reimu's back. She received an affirmative before her friend disappeared into her room. She couldn't bring herself to get up however, just sat there fidgeting nervously. The truth was out, but she was far from relieved. And just what had Reimu been thinking about to bring on this sudden interest in trust of all things?

"Oh, hey," Reimu's voice came from almost right next to Marisa, making the startled witch flinch bodily.

"Huh?" Marisa's head snapped around much too fast only to avoid Reimu's eyes.

"I'm visiting the Devil's own library today. If I vouch for you, you might be able to get in and ask Patchouli for some help with your little problem." Why was she smiling like that? "And tell her you'll start returning her books, too. It can't be that hard considering she practically lets you get away with stealing them in the first place."

"Vouch for me? Are ya sure?" It was an easy way into the library for certain, but it was far from a simple solution to the real problem. "And I do return stuff!"

"Yeah, when your dump of a shack can't hold any more," Reimu retorted. Marisa got to hear Reimu's laugh a second time in one day, her chest swelling with affection.

"Yeah well—s-so?" Was all she could manage with Reimu's laughter resounding in her head.

"I'm sure if you just be honest with her, she'll forgive you. Besides," Reimu said, disappearing into the bathroom. "I think she might like you."

"Huh?!" The door clattered shut, and soon Marisa could hear water running. Yukari had said the same thing, about Patchouli as well as Alice. It felt a little too easy, but it played perfectly into her new-found purpose.

Just at that moment however, the smitten witch couldn't help but let her infatuation run amok. Without Reimu's flat glare trained on her she sighed and giggled to herself, and wished she'd had the courage to confess. She was still hard from Reimu's show and tell, but a little confused too. The apathy her friend exuded seemed to dissipate overnight. She accepted Marisa's condition with little more than curiosity, and even reciprocated in a way.

What did it mean though?

Marisa idly scooted over to the table and let her head drop heavily, taking the pain of the impact as a sort of penance. What for, she wasn't entirely sure, but she probably definitely deserved it. Why did Reimu have to be so dense? Marisa spent all of her time here. Shouldn't it be obvious why? She sat up straight and ran her hands down her face, giving herself a couple light slaps on the cheeks to drive away the melancholy that was clouding at the back of her head before taking a sip of Reimu's water.

"Ugh. Warm," she stated flatly, absentmindedly running her tongue over her lips. "Mm..." Reimu's lips touched this glass. She took another, longer drink, draining the small cup before she knew it. Guilt mixed with pleasure, swirling around in her chest and belly. She set the little glass down, fighting the urge to outright lick the rim. "Reimu's lips," she whispered to herself, and the image of the shrine maiden exposing herself came back to her. "Reimu's boobs." They looked so full and— and bouncy! How could just a long strip of white cloth possibly keep them in place? Let alone make them almost nonexistent.

"Reimu's sarashi!" With a start, Marisa realized her friend's chest wraps were still in a tangled heap on the floor right next to her. Without a second thought, the kleptomaniacal witch fished out an end and wound the bandages loosely around her palm before stuffing them in a pocket. She'd never stolen from Reimu before, but the miko wouldn't miss something she'd practically disposed of already, right? She knew just what she was going to do with them, too. She had real, legitimate imagery, freely given no less, to back up her fantasies now. She smiled wide, giddy with anticipation.

"Hey, you drank my water!" Reimu's voice made Marisa whip around as she discreetly slipped her hand out of her pocket. She hadn't even heard Reimu come out of the bathroom.

"S-sorry, I was too lazy to get my own cup," she said, smiling weakly. It was mostly true, but she wasn't going to add that she had also wanted Reimu's spit in her mouth. "How the hell're you so quiet?"

"Ah, whatever," Reimu shrugged, walking out the large front door and sitting on the veranda. "It was probably warm anyways. You almost ready?" She ignored Marisa's question and started slipping on a frilly sock, apparently intending to leave right away. She was probably hoping to get a free meal at the Scarlet Devil Manor.

"Well aren't you excited. Remember, they eat our kind over there," Marisa pointed out. The bandages in her pocket felt like they weighed a ton as she stood to join Reimu outside.

"Sakuya's gotta eat something though, right? Do you think Meiling eats humans, too?" Reimu asked as the two of them pulled on their shoes. "She's a youkai but she looks so normal. Well, besides being so tall. It's kind of unfair."

"Who's Meiling? And where's my hat?" Marisa couldn't help but notice a light floral scent emanating from Reimu's shiny, slightly damp hair. She had bathed quickly, never slacking when it came to herself or her shrine. The smitten witch edged a little closer but stopped when her friend lifted an arm.

"It's with your broom," Reimu replied, pointing vaguely around her side. "You seriously don't know who Meiling is? You fight her all the time."

"Oh! You mean China." Marisa replied, a cocky smirk splitting her face.

China was the SDM's gate guard. Vigilant though she was, she was also weak compared to Marisa, guaranteeing the witch easy access. "She's weak," Marisa said, finally getting her shoes on and jumping to her feet. "I don't really even gotta fight'er any more. Just wave my hakkero around and she lets me through." Just the threat of a master spark made the poor guard forfeit since she'd end up having to deal with the aftermath.

"She's nice, though," Reimu said. She produced Marisa's hat and tossed it at her, giggling when it hit her in the face. "Just don't let her get close. She's a hand-to-hand specialist." She tossed the broom next while it's owner was still floundering to catch her hat.

"Damn it!" Marisa's chosen method of flight clattered to the ground when the witch's flailing arms accidentally knocked it away from her. "What gives?" She huffed, picking It up and mounting it before jamming her hat on her head.

"You're slow." Reimu had floated effortlessly into the air, smirking behind her as she flew. "And clumsy too, it seems." Marisa started running down the shrine's front steps astride her broom, the awkward gait smooth and simple after years of repetition, and then kicked off with a grunt. She had a big grin on her face, enjoying being teased by Reimu. It was rare seeing her friend so cheery. Maybe she'd try her luck and ask about the usually indifferent miko's recent paradigm shift.

Marisa's heart soared as she zipped across the sky, and she easily caught up to the more ponderous shrine maiden. She really felt like she had a better-than-zero chance after coming clean. Once she solved this barrier incident, she'd confess. She had to. She was no coward, and was practically famous for speaking her mind. It would be easy! She just had to settle things with Patchy and Alice first. And maybe Yukari, but she didn't want to think about that. Ever. But it was still a possibility. She was amazed that the youkai "sage" wasn't aware her own familiar was in love with her. Maybe she'd help Ran along and slip a few not-so-subtle hints to Yukari next time they talked.

"Took you long enough," Reimu said, pushing at the speedy witch's arm. "What's with that smug grin? You're fast but you're still no match for me in a duel." Marisa's expression flattened instantly despite her being unaware of her smugness at all.

"Hey, I just beat you the other day. Who else can do that? Huh?" In truth, no one really sparred with Reimu besides Marisa. Everyone else had gotten enough of her during the many incidents Gensokyo went through from time to time. Youkai had no need to seek out a youkai exterminator.

"Yeah, one out of five. But I'll give you that," Reimu said, smiling a little. "You ever think you're too fast, though? And what's with that love sign stuff? What's it got to do with a giant laser?" Her tone hinted more at distaste than curiosity.

"Ain't it obvious?" Marisa asked, giving off an air of superiority. "You can never be too fast. And love is the strongest element of all." She believed that completely but she still found herself blushing in the face of Reimu's sidelong smirk.

"You sound like a certain ice fairy," Reimu said, shading her eyes and squinting ahead as the garish clock tower that jutted from the SDM's roof broke the horizon. "Don't go picking any fights now, okay? I'll put in the good word for you or whatever, but if you get tossed out you're on your own."

"Yeah, yeah," Marisa replied. She had other business here as well, so she'd have to keep her wits about her. Hopefully things would go well enough with Patchy that she'd be able to visit whenever she wanted. It was safe to assume she didn't have a lot of time, though. She was good at going with the flow, but she still felt a little knot of anxiety in her stomach as she and Reimu touched down outside the mansion's huge iron gate.

As soon as their feet hit dirt, the seemingly dozing guard popped an eye open. Then she closed it again, standing with her arms crossed and her back against the bright red brick wall flanking the gate she was supposed to be guarding. Reimu just waited with a patient smile on her face while Marisa fidgeted, suppressing the urge to smack China in the head with her broom. She slowly leaned toward Reimu with the intention of asking why they didn't just fly over, but a surprised shout from Meiling made her stiffen up.

"Wh-who goes there?" Meiling jerked to a standing position, comically flinging her head back and forth before finally noticing the two girls before her. "Oh. It's just Reimu and the black-white." She looked Marisa over as she tried and failed to stifle a yawn. Then she hummed quietly to herself while tapping her foot idly. "Reimu's super-heavy aura almost covered you up, Marisa!" She laughed a little, and glanced between the two of them. "Red-white and black-white," she said with a big grin. "Well, since poor Reimu found it in her heart to put up with you, I suppose I can let you in properly this time."

"Thanks, Meiling," Reimu said, approaching the large gate as the red haired youkai effortlessly swung it open. She beckoned to Marisa, urgently miming a bowing motion before Meiling turned around.

"Ah, uh, thanks China," Marisa said, somehow finding the will to put on a smile. "Hopefully my visits will be a little less violent from here on out." She edged around the much taller guard with her fake smile while China smiled back genuinely.

"It's still light out so keep things civil inside too," Meiling said cheerily as she pulled the gates back in. They clanged shut, drowning out Marisa's affirmation, and the gatekeeper went back to snoozing.

"Well, you made it inside," Reimu said when the loud clank died off. "You might just make it to the actual library!" Marisa scoffed, but was pleased to hear her friend laugh lightly.

Another surprise met them at the front steps of the mansion proper in the form of a seemingly self-opening door. "Good morning, miss Hakurei."

Sakuya's voice floated through the portal as the two stepped inside. She was behind the large, ornate door, holding the handle and bowing slightly. When she saw Marisa enter, she gave a cold, calculating stare, sharper than any of her knives. "Good morning, miss Kirisame. I trust you are here on business?" She said icily while slipping a hand behind her back.

"She'll be good," Reimu said smoothly. "Promise. We're just here to visit Patchouli."

"An unusual method for you, miss Kirisame, but you have been allowed entry and I will honor that." The silver-haired maid sounded a tad reluctant as she shut the door, and then moved to stand before Marisa threateningly. "However, I will not hesitate to remove you should you prove troublesome."

In response, Marisa propped her broom up against the wall next to the door and removed her hat, holding it over her chest with palm flat before bowing. "Thank you for your hospitality," she said, trying to sound formal as well as actually thankful. She must have done alright. When she straightened, Sakuya's eyebrows were arched in surprise, and Reimu's too, for that matter.

"You are— welcome, I suppose. Now then, if you'll follow me." The maid turned away and led them across the large foyer, their footsteps echoing softly in what Marisa thought to be an incredibly unnecessary space for just a door. "Please keep noise to a minimum as well," Sakuya said after they set foot on the flashy red carpet that covered nearly every inch of floor in the mansion. "My mistress still sleeps at this hour."

"Of course," Reimu said, at the same time Marisa said "You got it." Sakuya nodded her approval and picked up her pace. Despite the blood-red carpeting and only slightly less painful to look at wallpaper, the hallways still managed to feel dreary and uninhabited. There wasn't a speck of dust or a cobweb to be seen, but somehow the colors appeared muted, the space feeling cold and lifeless. Even Patchy's dusty library felt more alive.

Patchy. Marisa's stomach did a nervous flip when she remembered what she was here to do. Just what was she supposed to say? What could she say? Hey Patchy, long time no see! Sorry for all that stealin' nonsense, no hard feelin's right? We should totally have sex, it's important I swear.

Marisa sighed, getting a sideways glance from both Reimu and Sakuya which she avoided by staring at the floor.

After what felt like a long time of staring at the ugly carpeting, Sakuya's voice made the sullen witch look up, a quiet "This way," as the maid opened one of the many identical doors that erratically populated the maze of hallways. Once all three of them were inside, Sakuya directed them to a wide staircase set in the middle of the floor, its dark steps at odds with the bright carpet. Large floor-to-ceiling shelves lined the walls, as if to indicate the nearness of the library. "I trust you can continue on without me. I must be about my work." She turned to Marisa. "And no trouble," she added. She glared for another moment, then stalked out and shut the door behind her. Marisa never realized how intimidating this simple house-maid was. Though, she was the maid of vampires and had to keep an entire mansion tidy. She wore authority like a cloak, and toting around an infinite number of knives certainly aided that potency.

"Well," Reimu said, holding out her hand. "Congratulations. I didn't think you'd make it this far Marisa." She was solemn-faced with a serious tone, but Marisa could see the mirth dancing in her eyes.

"Tch," she slapped her friend's hand away, unable to keep a smile off her face. "I can muster a little grace now and again," she said, whipping her hair and looking down her nose. It was ineffectual, of course.

"Grace? You were stiff as a statue." Reimu began to descend the stairs, flinging playful insults at her friend. "When was the last time you bowed, the beginning of the year?"

"Yeah. Is that weird?" Marisa asked, screwing up her face as she thought about it. "I mean who'm I s'posed to actually bow to?"

"If you'd do things properly, you'd have more hospitality to be grateful for," Reimu replied flatly, as if to say "Like that'll ever happen."

"Alice is plenty hospitable!" Marisa shot back. "She lets me in whenever I want and even feeds me sweets. You just treat me like an unwanted pest." It was more like Marisa just ate whatever was in reach despite Alice's protests. But the chilly puppeteer sometimes let slip how much she enjoyed Marisa's company, which was more than Reimu usually admitted. Until today.

"Oh, is she now?" Reimu asked. "And that's because you are a pest. Some people just don't know how to say no. Or maybe she has other reasons."

"What's that supposed to mean? Ah, whatever. Are we there yet?" Marisa was running out of breath actually descending the stairs on her own two feet. Usually she just zipped down them on her broom, which she just now realized was still leaning in the ridiculously huge foyer. The fact that Reimu had taken to floating lazily down the dark staircase made the witch's fatigue that much more noticeable.

"Almost. Don't die on me, now." The shrine maiden smirked, giving her friend a pat on the back from her slightly elevated position. "It'd be such a waste after all that hard work back there. I mean, you said thank you, you bowed, you didn't blow anything up. I'm almost proud of you."

"Almost?" Marisa flapped her hand over her shoulder to stave off the condescending pats she was receiving.

"You still have to set things straight with Patchouli," Reimu replied, her smirk turning into a big grin. Why the hell was she smiling like that?

"Oh right, that," Marisa deadpanned. "Then you'll be proud'a me?" she asked, fidgeting a bit. The much nicer dark hardwood of Patchouli's realm came into view now, the bottom of the staircase a scant thirty steps away or so. The anxious witch sought Reimu's approval for some reason, and glanced sideways to see her friend eying her thoughtfully.

"Sure," the shrine maiden replied, touching down for the last few steps. "Then I'll be proud of you."

That made Marisa happy, for a second, but her anxiety reasserted itself when she laid eyes on Patchy. She was visible down a lengthy aisle between massive bookshelves, sitting at a long wooden table. She was reading of course. Marisa's initial instinct was to sneak past her. Being out in the open in a place she didn't feel quite welcome in would quickly fray her nerves.

"Don't mess up," Reimu offered as they watched the frail magician turn a page, and flashed another grin before walking off briskly.

"'Course," Marisa said to herself, trying to get her legs to move. "No pressure or nothin'." Reimu just beckoned for her friend to keep up.

After only a few more moments of feeling hopeless, Marisa finally took a step, and then another. Soon the echoing of her footsteps on the wood floor created an uncomfortable feeling of being exposed, tingling right between her shoulder blades. A quick look behind her revealed nothing more than the dark staircase she'd just descended, but glancing overhead took her breath away. The beauty and grandeur of the place made her apprehension churn with yet more guilt, like she'd been sullying the magical library every time she entered it.

Despite that, she still found herself marveling for the umpteenth time at the cavernous darkness that stretched above. Nearly story-high bookshelves dominated the ground level, and yet more shelves lined the curving wall above them, every square inch utterly packed with books. There were railed walkways, too, criss-crossing the vast diameter of the cylindrical space and occasionally lining the wall itself, faint red rings of candles hovering just above them.

It was there in those dark upper reaches where Marisa did most of her pilfering. Here was where she made her reputation for herself as a no-good, lying thief. She couldn't help but grin like an idiot.

She had fond memories of occasionally running into a mundane fairy maid or two, but they were always disoriented and eager to leave. They payed Marisa no more attention than a spider might to scurry out of her way. More common, and much more enjoyable, was a run-in with Patchy's familiar, affectionately known as Koakuma. The black-winged, red-haired girl was actually a demon summoned from Makai that looked suspiciously like a succubus to Marisa, though she certainly didn't act like one. She even had the little spaded tail, but she was quiet and meek in a different way than her master, and Marisa simply told her she was allowed to be there. The demon accepted it unconditionally and never seemed to question Patchy about it either, likely because others often borrowed as well.

Now that Marisa thought about it, plenty of people were allowed in the SDM and the library without an invitation or anything. She was the only one Patchouli had a problem with, and it was her own damn fault. She lamented yet again falling back into habit after their trip to the moon. They'd bonded quickly, during as well as after, as Marisa had the good fortune of being treated as a welcome guest for a time for her assistance in the affair. She could only hope she'd be able to set things right and seduce Patchy at the same time.

But what should she actually say? It wasn't like she could just tell the truth. She barely believed it herself. It was too late to think of a plan now, however, and before she knew it she and Reimu were standing right in front of Patchouli. She immediately felt the need to say something, but when she opened her mouth, barely anything came out. "H-hey, P—"

"Hello, Patchouli," Reimu said, drowning out the witch's subdued greeting. She hadn't even been particularly loud. Marisa just went red in the face, but Patchouli didn't notice either of them. The oblivious magician kept on reading, leaning close to her book and pinching a tiny pair of half-moon spectacles between her thumb and forefinger. "Ahem." Reimu cleared her throat lightly, leaning forward just a bit.

"Mukyuu!" Patchouli squeaked in surprise, her head snapping up quickly. "Oh. Reimu. It has been a while has it not?" Marisa noted a little smile on the girl's face, but it faded with a sidelong glance in her direction. "I see you brought a pet. I was not aware you were fond of rats."

"It's good to see you Patchouli. As for my "pet" though..." Reimu responded, chuckling lightly. "She's no rat, even If she's a little strange." Marisa could only feel guilty and look at the floor between her shoes, her cheeks burning up at Patchouli's insult. "I put up with her all the time. In fact, she's got a few things to say, right Marisa?" She gave her friend a light nudge. If this was Reimu's idea of "putting in the good word" Marisa might have been better off coming alone.

"Look Patchy, I'm real sorry," Marisa said, unable to peel her gaze from the floor. "I—"

"That is all well and good, Marisa, but I do not seek an apology," Patchouli interrupted. Her tone was not harsh, but where Reimu's expression was constantly flat and unreadable, such was Patchouli's voice.

Reimu gave a nervous chuckle. "Well, I'll let you two talk it out," she said, backing up and around the edge of the table. "Mind if I have a look around?" She poked a thumb over her shoulder, all smiles. Her mediocre supply of "good word" seemed to have already run out.

"Not at all." Marisa could feel Patchouli's eyes on her, but still couldn't look up even though she knew she should. "Call for Koakuma if you require assistance. I believe she should be located around the eighth tier."

"Thanks Patchouli!" Reimu said cheerily, turning and walking off without a second glance at Marisa.

"Now then, Marisa," Patchouli said, waving her hand under the embarrassed witch's face. "Why did you come here? I can only assume it is because you want something from me."

"S-sorry," was all Marisa could manage again, though she was finally able to lift her gaze. Patchouli's expression gave Reimu's apathy some decent competition. "I mean— I really am, but I guess that ain't good enough is it?"

"Not quite," Patchouli replied calmly. She just sat and looked at Marisa for a few moments, her face revealing nothing of what she might be thinking. "Though I am glad to know you are genuinely sorry. Despite your unmitigated penchant for theft, your expression lends credibility to your words. But again, just why are you here?" Marisa remembered Reimu's suggestion, about seeking help from Patchouli. It would be a little deceitful, initially, but all's well that ends well, right?

And so Marisa let out a long sigh, only partially theatrical, before pulling up a nearby wooden chair. "I need your help with somethin'," she said, and plopped heavily into the seat. She was directly across from Patchouli, and gave the girl a haggard look. "I tried this spell, see? One'a the books I nabbed had a sort of shapeshiftin' spell that could rearrange your body and stuff." She spoke quietly, and injected a little shame into her voice. If she did this right, she was hoping she would stoke that insatiable curiosity that all magicians harbored. "I wanted— well, I gave it a shot and—" Here she dropped her gaze and fidgeted for a moment or two. "I messed it up."

Patchouli gasped, a quiet, sharp intake of breath. "Rearrangement of the body?" She asked, leaning forward. "Where is the book? Why did you not bring it with you? What was the spell? Did you memorize it? No, I doubt you could. Do you remember the required materials, or the procedure itself? Was there anything in it regarding in-depth alteration of human anatomy? Specifically internal organs?" Her words tumbled from her mouth in a cascade that sounded almost like a single sentence, and she was leaning further and further across the table as she spoke, her eyes bright with fervor. It took Marisa by surprise, and she stuttered a bit without being able to form a coherent sentence. "What did you try to change? What was the result of the spell? You appear to be in good condition despite the amount of stress you are exhibiting. Is it internal? You may very well be lucky to be alive."

Marisa's thoughts became a jumbled mess as she was bombarded with all these questions and the odd insult. She didn't know what to answer first, or how to respond at all to the intensity of Patchouli's questioning. So, as she so often did, she reacted instinctively. She got to her feet, gathered her dress up, and lifted her skirts to her waist.

"You must return— oh." Patchouli's eyes fixed to Marisa's crotch, to the fat bulge in the hermaphroditic witch's ill-fitting panties. She slowly sat back down in her chair. "I believe I understand now. Yes. For lack of a better term, this is...interesting." She shifted nervously in her seat, sporting a faint blush. "But I am not entirely sure I am capable of assisting you."

"Please, Patchy, you're the only I know who can help me with this!" Marisa mock pleaded. She let her dress fall back into place and sat heavily. "If I could do it myself, believe me, I would! I—I can't stop touchin' it." That much was true at least. She could only keep her hands off of her magical appendage long enough to pay Reimu a visit. Stock up on clandestine peeks and "accidental" physical contact, then right back home to put them to good use. "I can't say I don't like it, but it's just so damn weird."

"I see," Patchouli said quietly. She was staring down at her messy table, eyes absently roaming the scattered books and trays of sweets with half full teacups on them. "A good place to start would be, with your permission of course, for me to examine it." Here Marisa wrung her hands for a moment before answering.

"I— I figured you'd have to," she said softly, leaning forward a bit. "But can it be somewhere a little more private?" She didn't have to pretend to blush at Patchouli's suggestion. She'd half expected to be kicked out as soon as she lifted her dress. Maybe Reimu was telling the truth, and Yukari for that matter. It was hard to believe, but maybe Patchy really did have some feelings for her.

"Of course," Patchouli responded, standing briskly. "My quarters are nearby. We need just reach the wall and follow it a short distance. I think I may know of a technique to dispel your ailment."

"R-really?" Marisa asked, genuinely surprised. That was not according to plan. If Patchouli somehow actually could return her to normal, the barrier would be in danger. Or would it? Girls could have sex without a penis right? And Yukari was likely more than capable of giving Marisa another one should the need arise. A million questions flashed through her head at that moment, about her necessity in this plan, her true feelings about her altered anatomy, the possibility that Yukari was just up to no good again. It made her uneasy, bordering on paranoid. "Th-that's great," she managed, quelling the icy cold spike of doubt in her guts that was making her palms sweat and her head pound.

"Follow me, please," Patchouli said, turning and floating off to the nearest opening in the forest of giant shelves. Marisa did so, somewhat absentmindedly, trailing behind a little and resisting a faint urge to lean over for a glance up Patchy's gown.

When it came down to it, Yukari held all the cards. Even if she was lying and just pulling strings, Marisa wasn't stupid enough to put the safety of all Gensokyo at risk. Everything that insufferable old hag did, she did for a reason. Marisa would just have to trust her.

"Just how long have you been in this condition?" Patchouli asked suddenly. She didn't bother turning around, and Marisa had a hard time hearing her.

"Huh? Ah, about a month now I think." It had actually been only 26 days, but Marisa didn't know why she was counting. After the first orgasm, she'd had no intention of getting rid of her new body part. She'd chosen to ignore just how incredibly strange her situation was in favor of either masturbating or hanging around other girls so she could fantasize about them later. Oh, and she just couldn't forget about her brilliant idea to molest a much more powerful being in their sleep while imagining she was molesting a different much more powerful being.

"And you said it's been enjoyable, correct?" Patchouli went on, still floating lazily a few feet off the ground. Marisa wondered if the frail girl would have trouble breathing after just walking.

"No point in lyin' about it," Marisa replied, grinning sheepishly. "I've done that to ya enough already I think."

"Agreed. But let us worry about that later," Patchouli said as they reached the outer wall and began to follow its gentle curve. "Right now, you require my assistance and I have agreed to assist you. It is somewhat exciting, to be completely truthful. If I can learn something from this, you will not only have my forgiveness, but my gratitude."

"In that case, I sure hope ya do," Marisa said, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. She had to try and seduce Patchouli, and here Patchy was saying that she was hoping to learn something. Well, Marisa had a few things to show her if everything went according to plan. "I'll get the book back to ya as soon as possible. Along with all the others I have, too." It might take a few trips, but she was very serious about this. She couldn't keep on bullying Patchy just because they'd met under dubious circumstances that led them to fight. "I was so freaked out about comin' here for help that I wasn't quite thinkin' straight. It took me this long to work up the nerve, y'know? Oh a-and...thanks, Patchy."

"You are more mature than I once believed you to be Marisa," Patchouli said. She set down lightly on the hardwood floor and turned to face her less experienced counterpart. "I would like to thank you as well, for your honesty of all things, as well as the opportunity to learn from your misfortune." A tiny smile pulled at the edges of her lips. It put Marisa a little more at ease knowing Patchy could smile at her. "However, this does not mean I have forgiven you, nor does it mean you are allowed freedom to come and go as you please." Marisa nodded solemnly.

"I understand," she said. "Y'think it would be rude not to say "you're welcome", or would I come off as full'a myself if I did?" she asked with a grin.

"Both," Patchouli replied, and laughed a cute, breathy little laugh when Marisa's jaw dropped.

"Hey, that ain't fair!" Patchy turned and started walking, her slippers scuffing quietly against the floor.

"Just what has given you the idea that you deserve to be treated fairly, by me no less?" Patchouli asked, though her tone was playful. At least, Marisa thought it was. The quiet girl didn't express much either through gesticulation, facial expression, or inflection.

"Ah, well ya got a point there," Marisa laughed weakly. She got the feeling Patchouli was enjoying making her uncomfortable. Everyone seemed to. Had it always been that way?

"We have arrived," Patchouli said, indicating a dark wooden door with a heavy-looking oval knob.

"What the heck's that?" Marisa asked, pointing to a slightly crooked wooden plaque. It was hung over a nail by thick purple string, with Patchouli's name scrawled somewhat crudely upon it. The "artist" had used several different colors of paint, with a few small splotches here and there where it appeared to have dripped.

"It was a gift from the esteemed younger sister," Patchouli replied, reaching up to slightly adjust the wooden nameplate. "As you can see it is quite colorful. Normally she would pay favor to only the color red, claiming it reminded her of her big sister. Lately, however, she has been using other colors, and bright ones at that. When I questioned her as to why, she told me she was being mean to the other colors by ignoring them, but that it was okay to keep red as her favorite."

"Well ain't that somethin'," Marisa said, a little curious as to Flandre's habits now. She visited the unstable vampire on occasion since she and Reimu were the only two that couldn't be "broken" according to the girl. It always involved lots of danmaku, and sometimes a little bit of more mundane child's play or even naps. "It looks cute. Really. Maybe I'll ask'er to make me one."

"I wish you luck in that endeavor," Patchouli replied flatly as she opened the door and stepped inside. Marisa followed, only realizing the moment she actually crossed the threshold that she'd never seen Patchouli's room before.

Marisa stepped cautiously, as the room was unlit. She didn't want to add destroyed property to her list of grievances, but for some reason, Patchouli closed the door behind them and the room went black. "Uhh, Patchy?" Marisa stopped in her tracks, looking around nervously even though she couldn't see a thing.

"Apologies," Patchouli said over a faint rustling sound. "Just— just a moment." The sound continued for a little longer before the struggling witch snapped her fingers and gave a triumphant mutter. Candles instantly sputtered to life, high up around the walls of the room. They gave off a low, steady light as opposed to the flickering, isolated dimness of normal candles.

"That's a neat trick," Marisa said as she sized up Patchouli's sanctum. It was large, at least as big as two of the rooms in her own house. The door let in on the far left of the room, which stretched off to their right, wider than it was long. Neat piles of books were scattered about in a seemingly haphazard way, and there were of course lots of bookshelves, which dominated the walls. There was a big bed in the center covered with purple sheets, its headboard the only thing that wasn't a bookshelf to be up against a wall, and a large, plain desk sat at the far end of the room. It was covered in notebooks or sketchbooks that she immediately wished to know the contents of. Closer to her was a comfy looking chair covered in ornately detailed vines stitched into the arms that she couldn't resist running her fingers over. They were soft and smooth, with tiny flowers or buds at the ends of tight curls of vine. "Woah..." she muttered to herself, sliding her hand along the chair's arm. The room's short carpeting was a deep red, much more tolerable than the garish fresh-blood color of the rest of the mansion, and the walls were a dark blue. The entire room gave off a cozy, drowsy feeling when coupled with the dark wood of the bookshelves and the myriad stacks of books.

But Marisa's eye wandered once again to Patchy's desk, the notebooks upon it sparking her curiosity. Despite the surprising disorderliness there was plenty of room to move, and she started a slow meander between the stacks of books with the intention of bringing herself closer to the cluttered desk. "This is a real nice place ya got here. S'almost as big as my whole house." She didn't make it though. The tiniest tug at the back of her dress made her stop.

"No need to be coy, Marisa," Patchouli said softly as the other girl turned around. "I know why you are here." She repositioned her grip to the hem of Marisa's studded shirt.

"Y-ya do?" Marisa turned to see Patchouli blushing and clutching her own gown tightly in her other hand.

"Yes," she said simply, drawing close. Despite seeming so small and weak, she was actually only a few inches shorter than Marisa was. Her condition and demeanor made her seem so much smaller, but now she brought her face close to Marisa's, her purple-limned gaze unwavering. "I understand your motives for coming here. There is no shapeshifting spell, nor is there any tome with such a spell in it. You wish to be closer to me."

"Er, I—"

"Do not worry. As far as your deceits have gone, this one I can understand." Marisa was pulled into an embrace, which she awkwardly returned without the slightest clue as to what was happening. "I felt it too, Marisa. Only faintly at first, during our lunar escapade, but much more strongly afterward. You were so kind and genuine, and I found myself endeared to you so quickly. And now I know, you feel the same way." Marisa stuttered for a few moments, giving the top of Patchy's head a puzzled look as they hugged.

"Th-that's not exactly wrong, but—" It slowly dawned on Marisa that Patchouli was coming onto her. It was a bit of a shock, and she really didn't expect to be seen through so easily. But while Patchouli's intelligence did her credit, she hadn't quite pieced things together right. Not that she could. It all just felt too easy, and Marisa hadn't quite gotten the chance to really be honest yet.

The opportunity passed though, as Patchouli stood on tip-toe to kiss her confused counterpart. The smaller witch had her eyes squeezed shut, as if it had taken all her effort to muster the courage for such a move. It made Marisa smile into Patchouli's lips and she swept the thin girl up in her arms, riding a surge of elation. "Y'know, you're really damn cute Patchy."

"A-as are you, Marisa," Patchouli replied, blushing. It sounded kind of funny to hear her say it so eloquently, but it made Marisa happy all the same.

"So, ya figured me out." Marisa set Patchy down on the big bed and sat next to her, grinning wide. "Are ya ready for what comes next?" To her surprise, Patchouli grinned back and grabbed her hand.

"Ready? I have been yearning for this moment for longer than you know," she said before planting a quick kiss on Marisa's lips. "I lacked the courage to seek you out as well. I am so glad you came to me. Whether you are male or female, human or youkai, it matters not to me."

"It makes me really happy to hear that," Marisa said, dousing the spark of indignation she felt at Patchouli's implication. So what if everyone thought she was a boy? Only those who were close to her, special to her, would know the truth. And Yukari.

"In more ways than one, it seems." Patchouli's hand found it's way up Marisa's thigh to the throbbing bulge the altered witch was sporting. Just kissing Patchy got Marisa rock hard. "I am almost positive now that I am capable of assisting you," she said, rubbing Marisa's hard-on lightly. "Though this remedy will be temporary at best."

Despite having been inside a voluptuous fox spirit as well as experienced the torture of a sadistic millennium-old youkai "sage", Marisa still found herself squirming under Patchouli's delicate touch. Through her clothes, no less. She leaned in to kiss Patchy again, unable to resist the allure of her purple-limned eyes and her small, soft lips. Patchy returned the kiss with vigor, her other hand coming up to stroke Marisa's hair as their tongues met between their lips. Marisa impulsively groped at Patchouli's chest, pleased to hear a tiny moan as she squeezed lightly. There wasn't much there, but what little there was was surprisingly supple and springy. The small magician's nipples began to harden, and she suddenly broke the kiss to let out a sultry sigh.

"This is in the way," she said simply as she got to her feet. Her hands disappeared into the long sleeves of her nightdress before she bent forward to pull it off over her head. Marisa followed suit, disassembling her outfit in a much less refined fashion before letting it drop to the floor while Patchouli folded her single garment neatly. Marisa wasn't used to being able to take things slowly, but she was just fine with Patchouli setting the pace. Not having your clothes ripped off you one way or another to start things off was a definite plus.

"You don't wear nothin' under your robe thing?" she asked as she kicked off her shoes and slid them under the edge of the bed. Patchouli's light purple gown hid only her beautiful, pale skin, and her frame matched Marisa's almost exactly. Save for one particular, of course.

"I have no reason to," Patchy replied calmly, though a blush colored her cheeks a rosy red in the low light. "You yourself have an interesting taste in undergarments. I understand the lack of clothing for your chest, but these..." She slowly got to her knees, supporting herself with one arm on her bed before tugging at Marisa's tiny underwear.

"H-heh, yeah." Marisa could only watch her panties slide down her legs, twitching when Patchouli wrapped one hand, and then the other around her erection. Patchy's small hands were soft and smooth, delicately feeling along the length of Marisa's member. "Guess you've never seen one before, huh?" She asked, smiling at Patchouli's awe.

"That is correct." Patchy's voice was somewhat distant as she examined the foreign appendage before her. She developed a slight wheeze as she brought her head closer, her hot breath washing over Marisa's tip. Was she going to put it in her mouth? She was already having trouble breathing, and not even Ran or Yukari had done that.

"Hey, you gonna be alright? You don't hafta do this if— y'know, if you don't wanna." Patchouli just nodded slowly as she began to open her mouth. It was obvious she wanted to. Her small tongue poked out and tentatively slid across the underside of Marisa's tip, making the witch shudder and exhale sharply. Then her lips closed over the first couple inches, and Marisa's whole body stiffened up as she let out unintelligible half-words at this new, mind-numbing sensation. It was hot and wet, like most sexually intimate moments, but it was different. It almost felt like her cock was melting as Patchy ran her tongue in circles, slowly and sensually around the tip and along the shaft, her tightly pursed lips sliding up and down. Every now and again the scrape of a tooth would make Marisa twitch bodily, reminding her of Ran's creative application of her razor sharp claws. She wanted to ask Patchouli to be a little rougher, but it was somehow embarrassing watching someone else do this for her. It also made it so much more gratifying too, though, knowing they were willing.

Again Marisa was amazed at the sheer amount of pleasure that raw emotion brought her. Unable to resist any longer, she ran a hand through Patchy's bangs and lightly nestled her fingers in the cautious but eager elementalist's soft purple hair. In response Patchouli looked up, right into Marisa's eyes. Her normally tired and docile demeanor was replaced with a keen brightness in her eyes as she watched Marisa shudder and sigh. The black-white witch was captivated by those deep purple eyes and the eagerness to please she saw in them. Suddenly it felt unfair with Patchy down there on her knees for Marisa when Marisa had done nothing but trouble her, but Patchouli picked up her pace and turned Marisa's barely formed apology into a sharp cry. She braced her hands using Marisa's body, one on the moaning witch's pelvis and the other behind her knee, watching her unflinchingly all the while.

Marisa was forced to hunch over, more non-words spilling from her mouth with both hands now tangled in Patchy's hair. Patchouli gave a small laugh, her lips tightening and her eyes crinkling slightly. It vibrated up along Marisa's length, and the blonde thief bit off another expletive as her legs began to shake and her body tensed up. "P-Patchy, I'm gonna cu— mmm!" She tried to give warning but Patchouli resisted her efforts to pull away, instead moving faster and starting to moan herself. All it took was one of her canines scratching across Marisa's tip and the struggling witch could resist no longer. She gritted her teeth and withstood the urge to thrust as hard as she could as she blew her load in Patchy's mouth. She felt her cum spatter across her thigh as it exploded from between Patchouli's lips, her tip poking at the back of Patchy's throat as the tenacious girl's tongue undulated rapidly in an effort to swallow as fast as she could.

It was just too much for Marisa, the insane pleasure making spots dance before her eyes as her legs gave out. She stumbled backwards and plopped onto the large bed, finally separating herself from Patchouli. Sticky lines stretched from her pelvis to the other girl's lips before bowing and snapping. Heavy wheezing filled the air as the two of them fought to catch their breath, but Marisa was too dizzy to speak.

"Did— did it feel good, Marisa?" Patchouli asked between labored breaths as she climbed up next to her reeling partner. She wiped the back of her hand across her lips while Marisa gasped for a few moments more, willing her blurred vision back into focus.

"Good might be a— a bit of an understatement maybe," Marisa replied, grinning. The smile that broke out on Patchy's face was the biggest she had ever seen on the taciturn girl.

"I am glad." Patchouli flopped onto her back, her breaths starting to come easier now. Marisa took the opportunity to straddle her waist and bring their lips together.

"You were kinda clumsy, but that actually helped," Marisa said, still sporting a big, silly grin. "If you're breathin' okay, I'd like to return the favor."

"Ah yes," Patchy replied, mirroring Marisa's smile. "The one area I believe you have more experience in than I. Carnal pleasure."

"Maybe just a little." Marisa wasn't sure if she should be proud or embarrassed, but she developed a healthy blush anyway.

"In that case, please do share your knowledge on the subject." Patchouli's grin faded as she bit her lip and spread her legs.

"Are ya really sure?" Marisa asked, her fiery lust singing the edges of her patience. "It might hurt at first, but I'll go real slow, okay?"

"You need not concern yourself with that," Patchouli replied with a sideways glance. "Just— p-please, do not make me wait any longer." She blushed fiercely from her collarbones all the way to the tips of her ears. It made Marisa's eyes go wide and she kissed the embarrassed girl before moving to sit on her heels between Patchouli's legs.

"Don't gotta tell me twice." Marisa parted her knees and gathered up Patchy's legs, draping them over her own. She drank in the sight of Patchy's slick, flushed pussy as she pulled it open with a thumb. Then, with a hand at her base, she eased forward slowly, a little surprised at how easily she entered Patchouli's dripping slit.

"D-do not t-tease me so!" Patchy said after sucking in a sharp breath. She clutched tightly at her sheets with one hand, and arched her back as Marisa began to move her hips, up and down more than forward and back.

"But I wanna make you feel good, Patchy," Marisa said, dropping forward and looking into the other girl's eyes. Patchy immediately wrapped her arms around Marisa's neck as the sly witch began to tease her partner's ear. "I've been nothin' but trouble," she said, blowing lightly. "I wanna make it up to you, any way I can." Patchouli's cute, breathy moans were right in Marisa's ear, and just as pleasurable as the bucking magician's tight insides squeezing down on her.

"P-please, Marisa," Patchouli pleaded. She wore a grimace of intense pleasure and overwhelming lust, her eyes screwed shut as she squirmed and moaned. It almost made Marisa feel bad being in control, and a little part of her wondered if she'd looked like that when she was being tortured by Yukari or pleasured by Ran. She couldn't help but give in.

With one quick thrust Marisa buried her entire length inside Patchouli, making the begging elementalist throw her head back and arch her spine sharply. She gave a breathy "Y-yes!" before moaning surprisingly loudly and burying her face in Marisa's shoulder. Marisa continued to thrust, fast and hard, relishing the feeling of Patchy's thin body sliding against her own and the lusty sighs and groans she was giving.

"C-cumming!" Almost instantly, Patchy's insides began to twitch and spasm, her teeth digging into Marisa's shoulder as her insides clamped down on the dick inside her.

"H-hey now," Marisa said, riding Patchouli's orgasm as the quivering girl bit down. She bit hard, and it hurt at first, but Marisa's cry of pain was soon just another moan as the vibrations of their movement and Patchouli's voice made the indent tingle with the now-familiar feeling of pain-turned-pleasure. "That's not fair, gettin' off without me," she laughed a little before that too became a lascivious groan. Patchouli only had more grunts and moans to offer as Marisa began to hammer faster and faster into her.

"Mm—mm— Marisa-a-a!" Patchy wailed into Marisa's neck, her body beginning to spasm once more. Marisa could feel the bedsheets dampen under her knees as Patchy came a second time.

Marisa leaned back and met Patchouli's eyes, relishing the look of ecstasy she wore. Then she mashed her lips roughly into her trembling partner's, her hips pounding desperately with the loud slap of flesh on flesh as her own orgasm tore through her. She felt hands on her face and legs wrap around her lower back as her vision darkened and wavered. Her thrusts became awkward and jerky as the pleasure overwhelmed her, Patchouli clinging tightly to her as she filled the small girl's most private place with her ejaculate.

Finally Marisa's jaw unclenched and her body ceased its orgasmic jerking. She heaved her body off of Patchouli's, supporting herself on wobbly arms with a blissful grin breaking out on her face. A faint, echoing thought reminded her to ask about Patchy's breathing, but she was suddenly shoved onto her back. The only sensation she managed to register was her half-limp member sliding free and the air feeling cold against its exposed length.

"That was nothing short of incredible," Patchouli said, chest heaving with deep, clear breaths. She was surprisingly agile, sitting astride Marisa before the slightly dizzy girl even knew what was happening. "I have never felt more alive. Somehow I— I am able to breathe." She placed a hand on her chest as she sucked in more deep breaths. "It was rather unbecoming of me to beg like I did. No doubt you are to blame, teasing me so." A grin formed on her lips, both sensual and mischievous, as she reached a hand behind her and squeezed Marisa's fluid-coated prick.

Marisa's senses slowly seeped back into her brain, understanding dawning on her with Patchouli's touch. "Wait! I'm still s-sensitive!" But Patchy didn't wait another second as she began to caress Marisa's hardening cock. Her hand slipped easily up and down its rapidly growing length. "It f-feels so weird!" A little part of Marisa gave in that it was much better than being tortured, but the sensation was so powerful it made her legs quiver and her hands ball into fists. Now she was clutching desperately at the sheets as Patchy stroked her mercilessly, her slender fingers squeezing at the tip and twisting up and down the shaft.

"You said you wish to repay me, did you not? In any way you can?" Patchouli said, leaning forward and pressing her forehead to Marisa's. The purple orbs of her eyes vibrated slightly, as if searching the depths of Marisa's yellow ones for something. "I know of your feelings for the shrine maiden."

"What—?!" Marisa tried to protest through her clenched teeth, but Patchouli shook her head softly, her long hair tickling Marisa's arms and face.

"Come now, do not look so surprised. Anyone with eyes can see the way you look at her. I understand we do not choose the one we love." She gave a sad smile, and pecked Marisa on the lips. "So if you truly wish to repay me, surrender yourself to me. Just for a little while." She guided Marisa's cock into her oozing hole, letting out a libidinous sigh that made the witch beneath her blush fiercely.

Marisa shuddered and sucked in a sharp breath, and then laid her arms out above her head in what she hoped was a sufficiently submissive gesture. Patchouli looked into her eyes for another moment or two before kissing her again, and started shaking her hips slowly.

Marisa once again found herself at the mercy of another, though in a much more pleasant light than her previous submissions. She was usually so full of herself, mouthing off and doing as she pleased. There was a guilty pleasure in giving herself up, in not having to worry about being strong or fast or clever. Letting her guard down and sharing these intimate moments with others made it more than worthwhile. It made her chest surge with elation and her whole body prickle with heat and pleasure. She closed her eyes as her faced burned up, realizing at that moment that she herself was the source of several surprisingly effeminate and extremely embarrassing moans and sighs.

"Thank you, Marisa," Patchouli said, straightening up with her palms flat against Marisa's small breasts. "Forgive me, but there is an undeniable pleasance in seeing you so subdued." She began to pinch Marisa's hot, stiff nipples, making the girl writhe beneath her. The self-restrained witch's arms twitched with yearning, an almost overwhelming desire to attack her body's weak points or to feel Patchouli's smooth, supple flesh. But Patchy was enjoying watching her restrain herself, and that in turn made Marisa feel good just by giving in.

"I ain't gonna b-beg like you did," Marisa said, continuing to moan and squirm. Patchouli just laughed and kept on teasing her nipples and grinding against her with agonizing slowness.

"As much as I would love to see that, I think your current position is sufficient." Patchy's hands slid down Marisa's chest and stomach as she straightened her body, and then arched her back with an arm behind her. Marisa's retort turned into a gasp as she felt something brush against her female half, Patchy's warm fingers moving deftly to lightly pinch her clitoris. With one hand braced on Marisa's thigh, Patchouli began to rock her hips back and forth while probing Marisa's soaking pussy.

"Nn—no way ya learned this from books!" Marisa once again found herself clutching fistfuls of Patchy's sheets.

"Correct. I have had plenty of practice. Whenever my thoughts turned to you." There was no shame or embarrassment in Patchouli's voice as she admitted this. It made Marisa's heart skip a beat, the heat diffusing her body intensifying as it did in her cheeks.

"Alright, alright I get it!" Marisa was forced to look away out of embarrassment. "So st-stop teasin' me already." Patchouli's face lit up, and she slid the length of her hand across Marisa's clit before leaning closer.

"Very well," she said, holding the hand covered with Marisa's juices before her. "All I ask is one last thing." She held it in front of Marisa's face. Her smile had faded, and the fervor she had displayed when Marisa mentioned body alteration shone in her eyes again. "Open your mouth."

Marisa's eyes flickered briefly between Patchy's face and fluid-soaked fingers, but she did as she was told. Patchouli slipped three of her thin, delicate fingers into Marisa's mouth and pressed them against the discomposed witch's tongue. In turn, Marisa licked at them, sliding her tongue around and between them before closing her lips over them to suckle. Patchouli let out a lustful moan as Marisa did so, and then slowly dragged her fingers from the girl's mouth. She looked them over for a moment, and then sucked on them herself with eyes closed and a look of bliss on her face.

"This'd be really weird if it wasn't so damn sexy," Marisa said, unable to look away. Patchouli laughed lightly around the fingers in her mouth before pulling them out. Then she leaned down and brought their lips together, sliding her hands slowly up Marisa's arms. When she reached Marisa's wrists she straightened again, and placed the witch's hands on her hips.

"I love you, Marisa. Truly, I do," she said. Her expression was solemn for a moment, but then she smiled warmly and planted another kiss on Marisa's lips. "Now, no more teasing." She lifted her hips again as before, but this time when she brought them down Marisa thrust up to meet her. "Yes! Faster!" Marisa gladly obliged, and began to hammer into Patchy relentlessly as the small girl wrapped her arms around Marisa's back and neck.

"You can— you can bite me." Marisa was going out on a limb saying something so strange, but to her surprise, Patchouli did so. She felt Patchy's hot tongue slide from her neck to her shoulder, and then teeth digging in. The indents already present began to tingle with warmth as Patchouli bit down. Their hips slammed together over and over until Patchy began to shudder and wail, the newly formed bite-mark burning with sweet pain.

For the second time Marisa came inside Patchouli, the rapid spasms of the wailing girl's insides coupled with the sharp, warm pain of her teeth pushing Marisa over the edge. With each thrust another hot spurt rushed up and out of her twitching cock, some of it spilling out across her legs as she clung to Patchy and came explosively, Patchouli moaning all the while with her teeth still lodged in her partner's flesh.

Soon her legs gave out and her body went limp, and the two of them lay there, twitching occasionally with aftershocks. Patchy opened her mouth, her teeth coming free with a wet, sticky sound. Then she slid off of Marisa and planted a kiss on her ear.

Marisa turned to look at Patchouli and received another kiss on the lips. Her face was flushed with effort, but her breathing was clear, if still quite audible. Marisa reached up and brushed the adorable girl's sweat-soaked bangs from her face. "How ya feelin'?" Another uncharacteristically large smile split Patchy's face before she spoke.

"Incredible," she said, still breathless. "I rue the next time I cough as I will question this memory of clear airways, but I believe it will be worth it. And you? I knew you were healthy but you displayed impressive endurance as well as self control."

"Same as you, though I gotta say, you'n me are a lot alike. You got a streak'a mischief in ya, Patchy." For some reason, that made Patchouli blush, and Marisa couldn't help but laugh.

"I suppose we both learned something about ourselves today," Patchy said, her wide grin changing to a tiny embarrassed one.

"Yeah, I guess we did, huh? Guh..." Marisa rolled over, the patches of fluid on her body starting to get cold and dried out. "How the heck're we gonna clean this up?" Patchouli made a shooing motion as she got to her feet and stood next to the bed.

"Stand opposite me, if you will," she said, pointing to the other side of the bed. Her bedsheets had several dark spots, one of them rather large, as well as smaller splotches of white.

Marisa did as asked, rubbing her wet thighs against the sheets. "Now what?"

"Stop that." Patchouli tugged at her sheets, dropping one of the fat pillows at the head of the bed to the floor. Marisa followed, grabbing the heavy pillow at her end and dropping it before pulling the sheet down towards the foot of the bed.

"The pillowcase is clean?" Patchy asked as they rolled the sheet down.

"Uh, yup," Marisa replied, glancing down and seeing no obvious stains on the purple pillow cover.

"Good." They reached the end of the bed and Patchy pulled the sheet towards her, rolling it into a big lumpy ball. It was almost as big as she was, but she seemed to handle the weight fine and just started up reciting a spell. It must have been a strong one, as the unfamiliar words of power made Marisa's ears buzz. Then, suddenly, Patchy tossed the mass of sheets into the air above her head and kept her arms raised.

"What the...? Where'd they go?" Marisa came around to Patchy's side, wiggling her pinky in her ear. The bundled-up bedclothes were nowhere to be seen. They'd just vanished into thin air with nothing more than a barely audible sizzling sound.

"Disintegrated." Patchouli replied simply. "I do not fear being discovered, but if Sakuya learns of this, Remilia could find out should she happen to ask the right questions. She is not one to gossip, but she will most definitely inquire about the matter, and I have no desire to deal with her childish views of sexuality."

"Childish views, huh? Isn't she five hundred years old or somethin'? She's gotta have some experience under her belt." It was weird to think of Remilia having absolutely zero sexual experience, but also weird to assume she had since she looked like a little kid sometimes.

Patchouli dropped the subject though, and began to recite more words that irritated Marisa's sense of balance. When she finished, a hot wind blew around the room, but nothing stirred. Not so much as a hair on their heads was moved, but when the gusts passed, Marisa found the crackling patches of semi-dried sex on her body had vanished.

"Woah, that's amazin'! You gotta teach me that!" Marisa exclaimed, looking her pristine body over. "And hey, why didn't ya just use that on the bed too?"

"The bedclothes were in need of cleaning anyways, and it would have taken more effort as well." Patchouli's voice was slightly muffled, and Marisa turned from eying the air where the sheets had met their end to see her slipping on her nightgown. "If you would devote even a little time to studying things other than ruination, you might learn something genuinely useful."

"Guess I should get dressed, too," Marisa said, ignoring Patchouli's jibe. She started with her panties, shaking them out before slipping them on. The fabric felt stretched and loose, and annoyingly cold to boot. It was hard to position her male half comfortably, and Patchouli began to laugh at her. "Yeah, yeah, real funny," she said, turning away to hide her grin with her hand down the front of her tiny underwear. When she'd finally gotten everything on, Patchy stepped up to her and straightened her vest out.

"Your choice of clothing is so unnecessarily complicated," Patchouli said, and changed her grip to tug at Marisa's single braid.

"Ow, hey!" Marisa had to bow her head, but her scowl melted away as Patchy's lips met hers.

At that moment, the door to the room swung open. "Patchouli, are you in here? I can't find Marisa." Reimu's voice preceded her by a mere second, and Marisa jerked upright with wide eyes and a million excuses running through her head. Fortunately the door itself blocked Reimu's view until she stepped all the way inside, and Patchouli had begun to untie and retie the bow in Marisa's braid.

"Oh, there you are Marisa," Reimu said, closing the door behind her and striding up to the two of them as if she too were a resident of the mansion. "She wasn't too much trouble, I hope?" She asked, looking at Patchouli.

"Not in the least," Patchouli replied, stepping back and checking the knot she'd tied.

"Heh, thanks Patchy," Marisa said, running a hand along her braid.

"Think nothing of it." Patchouli had resumed her quiet, unassuming demeanor, and held out her hand to Marisa.

"Oh, what's this?" In it was the green ribbon Marisa had had in her hair previously. "You used one'a yours?" Marisa asked, holding up her braid to see a much bigger red ribbon at the end of it. Patchy blushed lightly, and roughly shoved the small green ribbon into its incredulous owner's hand.

"Yours is frayed and I did not want to be responsible for damaging it further. Consider it a gift, if it will quiet your conscience." Patchouli's voice was almost flat, but Marisa saw amusement in her eyes.

"Well thank ya." Marisa pocketed the worn hair tie, making sure to avoid the pocket with Reimu's sarashi still hidden in them. She was belatedly grateful that they hadn't slipped out or something, despite Patchy being aware of her feelings for the miko.

"Giving gifts already?" Reimu interjected. "Glad to see you two getting along." She gave Patchy a big smile, but Marisa got skeptical appraisal. "Color me impressed, Marisa. I thought you might not have the tact to handle this on your own."

"I like ya just plain red'n'white," Marisa retorted, and plopped down in Patchy's big embroidered chair. It was firm but comfortable, and she eschewed giving another snarky comeback in favor of settling her rear. She was happy Reimu had made it known she was pleased with her, though.

"You're absolutely welcome," Reimu replied with sarcastic cheer.

"She was quite...forthcoming about the situation," Patchy said, glancing at Marisa briefly. "She admitted guilt for her misdeeds and promised to return my books, as well as cease her thievery. I will allow her to borrow regularly, though I do have one request, Reimu."

"A request?" Reimu crossed her arms and pointed in Marisa's direction. "Are you sure she couldn't use a little more penance?"

"I'm right here ya know," Marisa said lazily, the cozy room making her sleepy after her roll in the sheets with Patchy.

"She spends a goodly amount of time at your shrine does she not? Please remind her to return my possessions."

"I ain't a dumb kid! Why don'tcha just tell me yourself?" Both Reimu and Patchouli gave Marisa a flat stare, the brash magician giving them a scowl in return.

"Of course. It's the least I could do."

"You have my gratitude."

Marisa just scoffed, but Reimu reminding her might actually be a big help.

"Say, you wouldn't happen to have a couple extra places at the table would you?" Reimu asked, unashamedly seeking free food as she always did when she visited the Scarlet Devil's manor.

"I could go for somethin' to eat, too," Marisa admitted as she got to her feet. She was a little reluctant to leave her lush seat, but Sakuya's cooking was way better than anything she or even Reimu ever made, bar none.

"Very well. I am sure Sakuya will be able to prepare something for the three of us," Patchouli said, heading for the door. "I myself could benefit from some proper nourishment."

"That's kinda scary to hear someone say." Marisa followed, with Reimu behind her. "You should take better care'a yourself."

"I do not want to hear that from you, who lives in a magically polluted forest and eats nothing but unknowable fungus on a daily basis," Patchouli shot back. She and a chuckling Reimu floated up and away, but Patchy set down briefly on top of one of her enormous bookcases to smile down at Marisa. "Do try to keep up, would you?" She said, and took off again. Her tiny, breathy laugh instantly put a grin on Marisa's face as she made her way to the stairs. It would be a grudging climb, but seeing two of her favorite people in the world at the top would get her through it, smiling all the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First and foremost, thank you very much, to newcomers and returning readers alike. It's been a little while, hasn't it? This chapter turned out to be even longer than the first! I hope you found it as enjoyable to read as it was for me to write. Feel free to share your thoughts and feelings, and thanks again for taking the time to read my work.


	4. Red-White Boundary

IIIi: Red-White Boundary

I should have known she'd try something. It really should have occurred to me that she was up to no good, but before I knew it, we were the only two left with any semblance of consciousness, and mine was far from lucid. What started as surprisingly normal conversation escalated faster than my pickled brain could realize.

I tried to protest, at first, but it just felt so good. I melted into her embrace as she slipped her fingers down my neck and breathed on my ear, my body trembling and growing hotter by the second. Over the course of just a few weeks, she'd had ample opportunity to learn my every weak spot and hidden desire. Things I myself didn't even know I wanted.

Three words I never thought I'd hear turned my whole world upside down.

"I love you, Reimu," Yukari said before kissing me. I was eager at this point, and forced my tongue into her mouth while groping at her chest. Those three words had opened a tiny gap into my heart that Yukari was taking advantage of. I guess it wouldn't have happened if I didn't want it to, though.

"I hate you," I said, leaning back and tilting my head to give her better access to my sensitive neck. She just laughed and darted in, suckling and nibbling. I didn't really hate her of course, but I didn't love her either. She knew it, and probably had hopes that I might one day return her feelings. I wasn't sure if I would, or even could, but the way things were right now made me happy, which was more than I could say about anything not too long ago.

Yes. Not too long ago, happiness to me was not having to sweep too much and getting enough time in the evening to drink. Now, though, my personal enjoyment consisted of much, much different fare.

"Yukari," I tried to say, but it came out as a pitiful whimper. If any other youkai heard me, they'd think I was weak and simple.

"Very well," was the response from this one, though, and my stomach lurched with excitement. But to my surprise, she let go of me and stood up, a strange smile on her face. "I understand. That's enough excitement for one night."

"No, wait..." Another feeble whine was all I had as I watched her walk away and pull a futon out of my closet, blood pounding in my ears and heart beating wildly. I flopped onto my back with a scowl, letting my head loll to the side lazily. Marisa and Ran came into view, their sleeping forms startling me enough to sap some drunkenness from my mind. They'd passed out some little while before, Marisa drinking as much as she could as fast as she could and Ran nearly keeping up despite her quiet demeanor. I'd completely forgotten they were there the second Yukari touched me. What would I have done if I'd been caught? The Hakurei miko, youkai exterminator by day, a youkai's plaything come nightfall.

Quite a clever disguise, if I may say so myself.

All I could do now was sigh loudly. I secretly hoped it would catch Yukari's attention, but she just kept on rustling away, settling into my futon. Why didn't she just leave? She didn't come here just to screw with me, did she? No, she probably did. With Ran and Chen in tow, no less. What a cruel creature. She was like a huge boat, the rest of us cast adrift before her. You either got on board or got swept aside. Why did this demigod, this sage amongst youkai, pick me? Why did she have to turn everything I thought I knew about myself topsy-turvy?

My fiery lust simmered down to a dull, throbbing irritation as I realized how often I questioned myself since Yukari's confession. I hadn't always been this way. I used to believe in myself, my actions, my every thought, with an unshakeable confidence. The only remnant of my former stalwart self was my sense of balance, a true insight into what is and what should be. It was just a smaller part of me now, things like doubt and worry and lust now clamoring for attention all at the same time. Especially lust.

It wasn't all bad, though, I ruminated drunkenly. As much as I hated to admit it, this awakening of my sexuality was more than just enjoyable. It was truly fascinating, being so in tune with myself. Desires I didn't know I harbored had surfaced, buried under this avalanche of apathy and almost haughty aloofness.

Something as simple as watching a bug flit around a tree only to land in the same place several times made me burst into laughter. Something as common as Suika being out late and coming home drunk had me worried sick. What if she gets hurt? How absurd. She was an oni, despite her diminutive size. That didn't stop me from embracing her and asking her where she'd been once she'd finally stumbled back to the shrine, though. In response, the tiny girl squeezed me hard and patted my back, slurring about how sweet I was before asking me to remind her which direction the bathroom was in.

It was a strange feeling, not just giving affection, but receiving it as well. I'd been blocking it all out, trying not to "play favorites" even though it now seemed inevitable to me that a person would develop some relationships more than others. I'd certainly ended up putting quite a bit into Yukari.

Ugh, Yukari. With one last frustrated sigh I flung my arm over my face, not caring that I would end up asleep on the floor, and vowed not to touch myself under the delusion that it might sting the sly youkai's pride. I knew it wouldn't, but the thought comforted my hazy mind enough to allow me to drift off into fitful sleep.

Instead of being roused by warm sunshine and the chirping of birds, or perhaps the laughter of fairies, the sound of moaning made me sit up abruptly. I groggily wondered if I was dreaming, my shrine looking foreign for several moments before I turned my head towards the sound.

Sure enough, Marisa was tossing about on the floor, moaning quietly with an odd look on her face. There was an unnatural hump in her dress near her midsection.

"Not this again," I muttered to myself as I watched the cross-dressing witch writhe and mumble. She was my best friend, male or female or whatever she may be, but I was still curious. She'd never been quite so active, but this wasn't the first time I'd awoken before her to see her dress tented. I knew just what the bulge was, of course, but I also knew that it definitely did not belong on girls.

A little part of me wanted to shake my friend awake, shout at her, ask her what the hell was wrong with her. Another part of me wanted to touch that bulge, peel away her clothes and see what she was hiding. Neither won, however. I just got up and went to the kitchen, wondering why I still referred to her as a she when overwhelming evidence proved otherwise.

But after filling a little glass with water to combat my hangover, I returned to see her still squirming, her face set in that grimace of painful pleasure. What the hell was she dreaming about?

Suddenly, as if thinking about her lured her back to wakefulness, her eyes shot open and she began to gasp like she'd been drowning. Her hands flew to her stomach, swiping madly until her dress came up. For some reason this relaxed her, until she saw between her legs. She wore a pair of tiny cotton panties that looked incredibly uncomfortable, especially given the current state of her body. I fought the urge to laugh as she eyed her straining underwear accusingly.

"What the hell's wrong with me?" She asked it. In my momentary flash of mirth, I answered in its stead.

"I've got a couple ideas," I said before I knew it. I was even smiling. It was still a little strange, feeling a smile come to my lips that wasn't calculated or expected. Marisa banged her head on the floor she looked up so fast, tilting back too quickly with wide, fearful eyes.

"M-mornin' Reimu," she said loudly, a nervous laugh escaping her as she frantically tried to smooth her dress down. She only succeeded in smacking her erection, making it bounce until she finally got it covered up and bent her knees. "So uh, how long ya been sittin' there?"

"Long enough to know you have some pretty weird dreams." I forced my face and voice to remain neutral, curious at my desire to strip Marisa and tease her. I guess I was less attached to Yukari than she would've liked me to be.

"Nightmare's more like it," was the enigmatic reply from my cross-dressing friend. She just closed her eyes, no doubt thinking of a million excuses to explain away her secret habit.

"You wanna talk about it?" I prompted. I hoped my calm demeanor would open her up but she just shook her head.

"Ahh, nah. I'll be alright." She looked away, looked at everything but me.

"You sure? There isn't anything you want to, oh I dunno, tell me?" I found myself incensed at her stubbornness, a scowl coming to my face despite my effort to remain neutral.

"Um," was all she had to offer, eyes darting around again. She settled for, "Nope. Can't think'a nothin'."

"Then let me ask you a question. Why can't you just be honest with me?" Her face went bright red in an instant. She had to know she was cornered. Why was she holding out?

"About what exactly?" She asked. Did she seriously think she could get away with playing dumb? I wanted to strangle her at the same time I wanted to feel her up.

"Seriously?" I blurted. "I'm almost offended. As embarrassing as it is, I care about you, you black-white idiot." Her eyes went wide at my outburst.

"Yer sober right? Oh I get it." She pointed to my glass, looking worried. "That ain't water is it? Lil' early don'tcha think?"

"Look," I said, my anger deflating with a sigh. She didn't trust me. After all this time, she was afraid I'd reject her.

Who knows. Maybe I would have if Yukari hadn't scrambled my brain.

"I've known about your—" I hesitated, not sure what to call it. "About that for a while now. You can't hide something like that when you end up passed out drunk here more often than you sleep in your own bed." She might as well have lived here. Why was she afraid? I didn't want her to be scared of me. I wanted her trust, almost as much as I wanted her body. "You can tell me anything, Marisa," I said, hoping again to seem calm and accepting.

"Wait what the hell's goin' on? Why're you lookin' at me like that?" She sounded panicked at first. Was it really so unusual for me to express concern? "I trust you'n all but..." She made to continue but trailed off while wringing her hands in her lap.

"You're avoiding the subject." I spoke without thinking. I just wanted her to tell me already. "I've kept it to myself for this long. You at least owe me an explanation." Just tell me you're a boy with a dick already, so I can say I don't care and that I like you just how you are and we can—

"Ahh! What's to tell?!" Marisa flung her arms up, shouting at me now. "You saw it! I have a dick!" Her cheeks were aflame, but her voice dropped sharply in volume as she continued. "What do you want me to say? This isn't somethin' you just chat with your friends about, ya know?"

"There's more to it than that. I know there is." She looked so cute with her face all flushed and her eyes cast down to the floor. I couldn't help but push at her even more. It felt a little cruel, but then, she was still holding back the whole truth.

"What? There's nothin' else! Honest!"

"Marisa, I'm not dumb. Girls don't have— that." My tone was harsher than I'd intended, but my growing desire was grating on my patience. "So quit lying to me." If she just said it, I'd make sure she didn't regret it.

"Are you sayin' I'm not a girl?" Marisa squinted at me like I'd offended her, but what other conclusion was there?

"You're not. You can't be." For some reason I got defensive, suddenly doubting my accusations despite what I'd seen several times before. "Keeping secrets is fine, even though it hurts that you didn't trust me enough to tell me. But lying to me about it after I already know the truth just pisses me off, Marisa." For a moment, I felt like a parody of myself. Here I was, preaching honesty while hiding ulterior motives of my own. Perverted ones at that.

"It's the truth!" She insisted. "Whaddo I hafta do, show ya?" Please do, is what I wanted to say, but my nagging doubt stilled my tongue as Marisa took a deep breath and composed herself. "Look, I'm a girl. No foolin'." She looked me straight in the eye, for the first time since waking up. "I'm also a magician, remember? I used magic to alter my body." A tiny grin pulled at her lips, followed by a not so tiny blush. "Well, sort of."

"Sort of, huh?" Looking her over, it was hard to believe. But I found that I actually trusted her quite completely despite her kleptomania. I couldn't recall her ever stealing from me personally either, now I thought about it. "Well, fine. I'll trust you." I couldn't help but grin too, feeling like I'd gotten a littler closer to my already best friend despite pretty much verbally assaulting her.

"One more question though." Marisa rolled her eyes at me with a harassed nod. "Why do you need a, uh— that thing anyways?" I still couldn't call it by any proper noun for some reason. Was I embarrassed? Marisa had just shouted one at me, though her face had lit up in seconds flat.

"Well, I don't really. I just wanted to add a little, y'know?" She patted her chest over her nonexistent breasts, grinning. "I botched it though. And turned out like this."

"That's it, huh? I mean, even before I saw up your dress I was almost convinced. But after, I thought you were definitely a boy." Marisa just nodded, blowing a sigh through her nose. "Sorry," I added, failing to suppress a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I don't exactly act like a girl," she said, looking off to the side. A bit of an understatement.

"Not to mention you're flat as the plains!" Laughter welled up from deep in my chest, finally spilling out. Marisa tried to scowl, but ended up smiling.

"You're one to talk!" She said, mocking thoughtfulness and eying me up and down. "How do I know you're not just a crossdressin' boy?"

My jaw dropped for a second. I hadn't expected that, and it was true I had a similar build to the petite witch's. With my sarashi on, anyways. "Well, I'll humor you," I said, turning my back to her. I made a split-second decision, with no second thoughts whatsoever, to prove myself female. It felt a little desperate, but I didn't care.

At least, that's what I told myself. I began to unwind my sarashi, slowly and what I hoped was sensually, wondering just how Marisa would react.

"So that's how it works," Marisa said quietly. I turned back to face her, the fullness of my unbound breasts hot beneath my arm as I covered them.

"Unlike you, my figure matches my appearance." I smirked like I was the power-hungry witch herself, turning slightly and raising my unoccupied arm to give her a better view without seeming too into it. Beneath my other arm, my nipples grew stiff as anticipation swelled in the pit of my stomach.

"How...?" Her eyes roamed my body unashamedly, but she made no move to take advantage of my half-nude state. "Just how tight're those wraps?"

"Tight enough." I lowered my arm again, a little disappointed and once again full of doubt. She'd pushed her dress down between her legs, but was she just nervous? Or was she hiding something? This was as desperate as I was willing to get, though. "You answered me honestly, so it's only fair right? I just want you to know I actually trust you." My face went hot up to my ears as I dressed myself. Did she even like girls like I apparently did? For some reason, I realized I felt like it simply couldn't be any other way.

Then she started apologizing. It made me feel awful, for jumping to false conclusions so quickly, one after another, and for assuming she wanted me just because I wanted her.

"I just—" Marisa went on, "it's weird knowin' you care. I mean I know you've always cared but..." I waved her apology away, smiling. I hoped it didn't look as sad as I felt. "You know what I mean," she said, looking a little relieved. "I just wonder, what's the deal? You worried about somethin'? Tyin' up loose ends?"

"What?" I tried to be annoyed, but couldn't help mirroring my friend's playful grin. "Not even close. I've just done some thinking is all." That's all I'd been doing, really. Besides fooling around with Yukari, of course. Oh, and touching myself when she wasn't around. My heart dropped even further as I realized I was probably just trying to get Marisa to be into me to soothe the sting from last night.

"Just a little bit'a thinkin' turned you soft as a red'n white pillow, huh?" She was still smiling, but this time I couldn't muster one to match.

"Well, I need a bath," I said, getting up and walking away to hide my face. I didn't want Marisa to think I was upset. She didn't deserve that.

"A-alright," she replied softly.

"Don't eat anything okay?" I made a feeble attempt to sound like "myself", but I wasn't quite sure who that was at the moment. It just made me feel worse.

"I can have water right?" my friend called after me, watching as I opened the door to my room. I gave an affirmative half-word and hurried in, a leaden weight in my guts and guilt making my head feel stuffed full of wool.

"A bath will make me feel clean," I told myself, gathering up a fresh set of clothing. "Inside and out!" I immediately regretted my choice of words as it made me think of something altogether more lewd than just my mental state, which at the moment consisted primarily of guilt and lust and confusion.

Especially lust.

I'd go mad if I spent the day here, wishing I could jump Marisa's skin. Her friendship was worth more to me than that. It always had been, I was glad to realize, though I'd never had these unclean desires to size it up to.

"Oh well," I muttered to myself. I could try to offload her at the SDM or something. Alice's might be easier, but then I'd be in close proximity to two other girls for at least some tea. Remilia's manor seemed a better choice overall. I could go off on my own and leave Marisa with Patchouli. Patchy might even be able to give Marisa a hand with her magical problem.

"Ugh." Another poor choice of words. But Patchouli liked Marisa well enough, much to my surprise. I'd entertained more than a few venting sessions, smiling and nodding as the meek girl talked a mile a minute about her oblivious counterpart.

Patchouli had never asked me to intervene, however. Pride, perhaps? She was just a bit full of herself. It didn't matter now, though. Maybe doing Marisa a favor would help the sickly shut-in come out of her shell a bit.

"Hypocrite." Three words was all it took to flip my world upside down, and I was still blinking in the face of reality's radiance. Particularly Marisa's at this moment in time. Well, maybe radiant wasn't quite the word I'd use to describe her.

With that thought I took a peek down the hall, my heart pounding, hoping she wasn't looking but willing to take the risk.

She wasn't. Not at me, anyway. She was staring absently into space, sitting quite still. Very unlike her. Maybe she was trying to work out my little show earlier. Regardless, I couldn't help myself from creeping up behind her, even going so far as to leave my door open to avoid making noise.

"Oh hey," I began, setting my selfish plan in motion. Marisa's head whipped around, her single braid flying out at ninety degrees, and her cheeks reddened. "I'm visiting the Devil's own library today." I felt a big smile grow on my face as I spoke. It was just so fun teasing her. Soon, just words wouldn't be enough. "If I vouch for you, you might just be able to get in and ask Patchouli for some help with your little problem." My friend grew nervous at my mention of Patchouli. It made me wonder if she felt bad, or was just afraid of the possible consequences for her wanton thievery.

Either way, my old self saw a conscience to prey on. "And tell her you'll start returning her books, too. It can't be that hard, considering she practically lets you get away with stealing them in the first place."

"Vouch for me? Are ya sure?" She still looked nervous, but then my gibe sunk in and she scowled suddenly. "And I do return stuff!" She huffed in a most adorable, puffy-cheeked manner.

"Yeah, when your dump of a shack can't hold anymore." I laughed as she tried to look upset, working her jaw silently for lack of a clever response.

"Yeah well— s-so?" She made it so easy.

"I'm sure if you just be honest with her, she'll forgive you. Besides," I took a step into the bathroom, leaning back to smile at her mysteriously. "I think she might like you." Then I went all the way through and closed the door behind me, stifling my laughter in my bundle of neatly folded clothes. Yukari's obsession with theatrics seemed to be rubbing off on me. I mean, I'd always poked fun at Marisa, but now it was somehow pleasing as opposed to the mix of spite and superiority it once was.

Satisfied for the time being, I began to draw my bath. There was a strange, mellow excitement in my gut that I couldn't quite define. I also caught myself muttering out loud as the basin filled, little whispers about whether Yukari was spying on me right now, did Marisa like Rinnosuke if she didn't like other girls? I'm really looking forward to Sakuya's cooking, I wonder how Patchy will react when we get there?

The "old" me, as I'd come to refer to my previous disposition despite only a month or so of this ordeal, never talked to herself. She never questioned herself, either, or humped her pillow at night, or wanted to rip other people's clothes off. The old me certainly never pulled the plug in the tub and spread her legs under the running faucet, like I was doing right now.

I had gotten just as well acquainted with the modern miracle of plumbing as I had with Yukari since her confession. It almost made me thankful that the shrine had been destroyed a second time.

Scratch that. It was a fair trade. I began to touch myself lightly as the warm water cascaded over my thighs, caressing my chest as I slid forward and hooked my knees over the edge of the basin.

Yet, something was missing. It felt good, but at the same time I didn't feel anything. The water was warm, but it wasn't warm like the tender touch of another. It didn't seek to please me, finding all my weak spots as it whispered embarrassing nothings in my ear.

Another heavy sigh escaped me as I awkwardly righted myself, my arousal draining away as i dragged my legs back into the tub. All I could feel now was a dull ache behind my knees and a sense of yearning. I was too impatient to even let the basin fill as I scrubbed myself nearly raw to vent my frustration before drying off and dressing in a huff.

"Damn you, Yukari." I caught myself murmuring again as I brushed my hair out in the tiny mirror that was attached to my tiny sink. Seeing my reflection's lips move surprised me, and I realized belatedly that I was hearing my own voice. It was one of the stranger side effects of this whole experience. It had become as if my thoughts were too insubstantial while still inside my head; like saying things out loud somehow imbued my thoughts and feelings with a tangible worth.

"Oh well." My shut-off valve. A fail-safe for when I didn't want to dwell on something too long. It worked well enough, but some things just stuck. Marisa's magical anatomy, for example, and my growing desire to study it.

My stomach lurched as I slid the bathroom door open, the soft whisper of it sounding loud in my ears. But Marisa was just giggling to herself, her hand stuffed in one of her many oddly placed pockets. I thought for a second that she was putting her boy parts to use, but she was just laughing and muttering, much like I'd been doing lately. And she'd drunk my water, too. Not that I wanted any. I had just been submerged in it, fruitlessly as far as my real intentions went.

At least I could mess with her, though.

"Hey!" I said, much too loudly. "You drank my water!" Once again Marisa turned sharply, her hair fanning out as she slipped an empty hand from her pocket.

"S-sorry," she stuttered, sporting a sheepish grin. "I was too lazy to get my own cup. How the hell're you so quiet?" She eyed me skeptically, but I just walked past her and ignored her question.

"Ah, whatever. It was probably warm anyways." I greatly disliked room temperature drinks, especially alcohol. "You almost ready?" It was after noon already and I was getting eager for a decent meal. Marisa seemed to catch my vibe quite easily, and joined me outside as I pulled on my socks and shoes.

"Well aren't you excited? Remember, they eat our kind over there." Remi would never eat me, but Marisa on the other hand...

"Sakuya's gotta eat something though, right? Do you think Meiling eats humans too? She's a youkai, but she looks so normal. It's kind of unfair." Sakuya was human herself, so she probably didn't eat the same meals as her mistress. Or rather, I hoped that was the case. I'd never actually witnessed Meiling eating anything at all, though.

"Who's Meiling? And where's my hat?" Marisa looked genuinely ignorant of who the SDM's gate guard was despite blasting her at least once every other day.

"It's with your broom," I replied, pointing vaguely back into the shrine. Both were actually lying right next to me. How she didn't notice I'll never know, but I wasn't going to pass up yet another opportunity to screw with her. "You seriously don't know who Meiling is? You fight her all the time."

"Oh!" A haughty grin split Marisa's face as she realized who I meant. "You mean China!" She looked utterly full of herself, flapping her hand at the mention of the youkai sentry. "She's weak. I don't really even gotta fight'er anymore. Just wave my hakkero around and she lets me through."

"She's nice though," I chided, feeling a little sorry for the poor girl. She was kind of weak, as far as danmaku went. "Just don't let her get close. She's a hand to hand specialist." Marisa had gotten to her feet, looking bored when I kept talking about China, so I decided to wing her hat at her. It hit her right in the face, and she stupidly clapped her hands over it to catch it. I jumped up and tossed her broom next, laughing as she swatted it away in her attempt to grab it while keeping a hold on her hat.

"Damn it!" I kept on laughing and took to the air so I could look down on my agitated friend. "What gives?" She mounted her broom, stomping her foot as it came down.

"You're slow." I flew backwards so she could see my smirk. "And clumsy too, it seems." Then I turned and took off for real, still laughing while the sound of Marisa's running footsteps followed me before the rush of air filled my ears.

Not ten seconds later the witch zipped up next to me, wearing a huge smile.

"Took you long enough." I gave her arm a playful shove. For just an instant I felt awkward and fearful, like I'd crossed an invisible line, but my fears evaporated as soon as they appeared. She was my best friend in all of Gensokyo, which was saying a lot considering how I'd been for so long. And I'd hit her harder than that for less on several occasions.

Even so, I realized I was laying it on a little thick. "What's with that smug grin? You're fast but you're still no match for me in a duel." I couldn't stop even if I wanted to.

"Hey," she said, her expression going flat. "I just beat you the other day. Who else can do that? Huh?" She flew a little closer, as if to challenge me over her single victory.

"Yeah, one out of five. But I'll give you that." I smiled a bit, glad that she still dueled me as often as she did. Everyone else was sick of me meddling in their business, no matter if it would have upset Gensokyo's balance had I not intervened.

The power-obsessed girl was quite strong as well. Despite my abilities, I still learned and grew from sparring with her. One thing I couldn't get over, though, was her spell cards. They were so flashy and overdone. "You ever think you're too fast, though? And what's with that love sign stuff? What's it got to do with a giant laser?"

Her smirk was one-hundred percent expected but her answer was not.

"Ain't it obvious?" She grinned at me, oozing self-confidence. "You can never be too fast. And love is the strongest element of all."

Well that's cute. I had to admit, though, that that sort of cheesy explanation and her speedy, glass-cannon style really suited her. "You sound like a certain ice fairy," was what I decided to say out loud, though. The word "love" seemed to stick in my brain these days, holding a much more potent weight than it once did thanks to Yukari.

Oh well.

The SDM's squat, odd looking clock tower broke the horizon, sobering me up from that train of thought.

"Don't go picking any fights now," I warned. "I'll put in the good word for you or whatever, but if you get thrown out you're on your own." I didn't really know what I meant by "good word", or even what I was going to say. I just felt like if the two of them had a chance to talk, things would work out for the better. All Marisa needed was a little push in the right direction. Maybe the same was true of Patchouli as well.

"Yeah, yeah," was the klepto's noncommittal response as we touched down outside the gates.

Meiling was there, of course, napping as usual. She managed to do so in a standing position, leaning against the bright red brick wall that flanked the gates proper with her arms crossed under her breasts. A smile came to my face as I looked her over. She was very tall, easily head and shoulders above Marisa and myself, and she had an athletic figure that was firm yet soft in all the right places, and more than a little inviting due to her carefree nature.

I wondered briefly how she'd react if I hit on her, until she woke up.

"Who goes there?" She shouted, eyes wide as she looked about. "Oh." She finally noticed us, and gave Marisa a slightly perplexed once-over. "It's just Reimu and the black-white." I almost caught her yawn, but I was too busy feeling her up with my eyes to close them. "Hmm. Reimu's super heavy aura almost covered you up Marisa!" She laughed lightly, and I looked up from her chest just in time to see her smile at me. "Red-white and black-white. Well, since poor Reimu found it in her heart to put up with you, I suppose I can let you in properly this time."

"Thanks Meiling," I offered as the gate guard swung her namesake open effortlessly. Marisa, however, just stood there.

I mock bowed frantically at my stupefied friend. It wouldn't be a good start for her to get cold feet before she'd even made it inside. Fortunately she seemed to notice after a few repetitions, and a crooked, obviously forced smile marred her cute features as she stiffly approached the open gate.

"Ah, uh, thanks China," she sputtered. "Hopefully my visits will be a little less violent from here on out." At least she sounded genuine.

"Keep things civil inside, too," Meiling responded with a toothy grin as she pulled the gate closed behind us.

"Well, you made it inside! You might just make it to the actual library!" Marisa tried to scowl at me, but we were both smiling as we approached the mansion proper and stepped through the already open front door.

"Good morning Miss Hakurei." The manor's head maid herself stood half-bowed behind the door, one hand on the ornate curve of the handle. The other she slipped behind her back when she noticed Marisa. "Good morning miss Kirisame." Her voice turned to ice and her eyes to daggers. "I trust you are here on business?"

"She'll be good," I said quickly. "Promise. We're just here to visit Patchouli." Sakuya glanced at me blankly as I spoke. Then, apparently mollified, back to her unwanted guest.

"An unusual method for you, miss Kirisame, but you have been allowed entry and I will honor that." The silver-haired maid closed the door slowly, and then stood before Marisa, fixing the shorter girl with a piercing stare. "However, I will not hesitate to remove you should you prove troublesome."

In response, Marisa took a step back. I thought she'd been intimidated at first, but she had a solemn look on her face as she removed her hat and set her broom aside to actually bow to Sakuya. "Thank you for your hospitality," she intoned, somewhat dramatically. It was leagues better than the smile she'd given Meiling.

"You are— welcome, I suppose." Sakuya was just as surprised as I was at Marisa's display of civilized behavior, though she recovered rather quickly. "Now then, if you'll follow me." Turning on her heel, she set a brisk pace across the large, empty foyer. "Please keep noise to a minimum as well. My mistress still sleeps at this hour."

Marisa and I gave our consent in unison as we began to thread our way through the appallingly red hallways of Remilia's dreary manor. The place may have been spotless, but it was equally lifeless despite the bright, fresh-blood color of the walls and carpet.

I couldn't help but affix my eyes to the most soothing thing in view: Sakuya's rear. The alluring sweep of her skirt easily attracted my attention, as well as the barely noticeable jiggle of her shapely thighs that peeked out between her skirt and her long stockings. Her hips swayed sensually with her long-legged strides, and I found myself practically hypnotized. I only broke my admittedly lecherous gaze to glance at Marisa when she let out a clipped sigh. The poor thing must be in knots on the inside by now, whether out of guilt or fear.

All too soon, however, the skirts fell still, the thighs stopped jiggling. "This way." The SDM's head maid had chosen to whisper as she opened one of the ubiquitous doors that lined the endless hallways.

Inside, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves covered the walls completely, and a staircase of dark wood in the center of the floor marked this as our destination. "I trust you can continue on without me," the lithe maid continued. "I must be about my work. And no trouble," she added with one last hard glance for Marisa before ghosting out of the room.

Marisa and I stood in silence for a moment, before I decided to give her more flak. "Well." I proffered my hand gravely, almost frowning in my mock seriousness. "Congratulations. I didn't think you'd make it this far, Marisa." I somehow managed to contain my laughter, but Marisa saw right through me and slapped my hand away. Couldn't be because I'd been doing stuff like this all day, could it?

"Tch. I can muster a little grace now and again." She started down the stairs as I rubbed the back of my hand.

"Grace? You were stiff as a statue." That didn't mean I wasn't impressed, though. It was just more fun to be mean to my best friend than to be nice. "When was the last time you bowed, the beginning of the year?" That was the last time I remember seeing her do so. She'd also left the year's first and only donation so far, a whopping ten yen.

"Yeah," was the clueless thief's response. Why wasn't I surprised? "Is that weird?"

"If you'd do things properly, you'd have more hospitality to be thankful for." As if that would ever happen.

"Alice is plenty hospitable!" Marisa countered. She didn't seem to understand how open-ended such a claim was. Or maybe I was just a pervert. A perverted miko. Gods help you all, Gensokyo. "She lets me in whenever I want, and even feeds me sweets. You just treat me like an unwanted pest." She huffed adorably.

"Oh is she now? And that's because you are a pest. Some people just don't know how to say no. Or maybe she has other reasons." I briefly wondered if the two were lovers, or had been at some point, but Marisa's candid and rather immature manner of speaking about the puppeteer wasn't a clear indicator. Alice had to be at least fond of Marisa to put up with her so often, but the broody, color-coded magician kept to herself more often than not.

Either way, my friend gave up the fight. "What's that supposed to mean? Ah, whatever. Are we there yet?" She was looking a little worn out. Fortunately I could just float down all these stairs, of which there were a couple hundred at least.

"Almost. Don't die on me, now." She swatted lazily at me as I gave her a couple rough slaps on the shoulder. "It'd be such a waste of all that hard work back there. I mean, you said thank you, you bowed, you didn't blow anything up. I'm almost proud of you." My condescension wavered a bit when Marisa looked up at me, anxiety written all over her face.

"Almost?" she asked, pouting a little. Was she serious?

"You still have to set things straight with Patchouli." Why was she so cute? Why had it taken me so long to notice? I had to get away from her or Sakuya would be scrubbing the stairs for hours.

"Oh right," Marisa replied flatly. "That. Then you'll be proud of me?"

I regarded her for a moment, my stomach flipping as I said, "Sure. Then I'll be proud of you."

We finally stepped down into the library proper, our shoes clacking loudly on the much more tolerable hardwood flooring. The place smelled of old books, dust, and candle smoke. Marisa seemed to appreciate this much more than I as she was smiling, but then she saw Patchouli.

"Don't mess up," I offered. The dazed witch didn't even have it in her to shoot back, and I had to wave her over when I noticed she'd just stood still. I resisted the urge to pat her head as we made the long walk over to Patchy. My nervous friend had taken to marveling at the seemingly endless depths of the library's dark upper reaches, sporting another foolish grin and clutching at her dress.

As if on cue, the spaced-out witch stopped staring just as we came to Patchouli's little tea table, scattered with trays of cold tea and delicate looking bowls of stale sweets. "Hello, Patchouli," was my first attempt at getting the elementalist's attention, but she didn't even blink as she leaned closer to the book her nose was already buried in.

"Ahem."

"Mukyuu!" Patchy squeaked and looked up sharply. "Oh. Reimu." She colored slightly, and gave an equally slight smile, at least until she saw Marisa. "I see you brought a pet. I was not aware you were fond of rats."

Already off to a good start.

"It's good to see you, Patchouli." I laughed a little in a poor attempt to lighten the mood. "As for my pet, though, she's no rat, even if she is a little strange." Marisa as a pet. What an idea. I glanced sideways at my friend, who had taken to staring at the floor along with blushing fiercely. "I put up with her all the time. In fact, she's got a few things to say, right Marisa?" I gave her a soft nudge in the side.

"Look Patchy, I'm real sorry. I—." The ashamed witch still couldn't look up, and Patchouli cut off her stuttering in what might pass as aggression for the unemotional bookworm.

"That is all well and good, Marisa, but I do not seek an apology." Patchy looked somewhat concerned when her younger counterpart still would not meet her eye.

Just what could she want, though? I really couldn't figure it out on my own. If I played mediator the whole time, Marisa wouldn't learn a damn thing. The two of them had to talk it out between themselves, and I said as much. "Mind if I have a look around?" I added, slowly backing away. The air between them was charged with a strange tension, but I couldn't quite distinguish what it was.

Patchouli kept her focus on Marisa as she said, "Not at all. Call for Koakuma if you require assistance. She should be around the eighth tier." A pang of jealousy flitted through me as I thanked Patchy and left Marisa to fend for herself, heading for an opening in the veritable forest of massive shelves. It'd be nice if the two of them could get along.

Then again, a lot of things would be nice right about now. Like getting into Marisa's pants. Or not getting left in the cold by Yukari. "Oh well," I said assertively, to no one in particular. Well, just to myself, but I still blushed despite being utterly alone. I'd started wandering aimlessly, my thoughts fuzzy and distant as I tried to focus on something that wasn't Marisa, or Yukari, or the omnipresent tingle between my legs. I had to occupy myself, or I'd lose it.

"What with, genius?" I rebuked myself. I knew exactly what I wanted. Patchouli mentioned Koakuma being somewhere higher up than ground level. That was as good a place to start as any, and certainly better than giving in to my baser desires, so I jumped into the air and began my ascent.

Higher and higher I flew, rings of walkways skirting the walls flitting by, the dim and distant light of candles above them providing just enough light to see by. Just how far up was eight tiers? How high had I gone already? It felt as though I'd exceeded many times the height of the mansion proper yet somehow there was no ceiling in sight.

"Hm?" Movement caught my eye on the catwalk I'd just passed, a slender, shadowy shape that I couldn't quite make out from so far away. "Koakuma?" It was so small. Was it just the distance? How big was this place? I made to fly closer but a voice from behind me made me gasp in surprise.

"Oh, miss Reimu!" I turned to see Koakuma right behind me, smiling politely and hefting a short stack of rather large, heavy-looking books. "Is there anything you needed? Are you perhaps lost?"

"Ah, y-yeah, kind of." The devil's fair sized breasts were resting atop her burden, the bulky blazer she wore doing nothing to mitigate their presence. The blood-red tie nestled between them accented them even, and certainly aided in drawing attention. I barely tore my gaze away to glance at where I'd seen the shadow, but it was gone. It was probably just a trick of the dim candlelight. I didn't even want to remotely consider I might be going crazy, even though the thought crossed my mind quite often these days. "Um..." I turned back to face Koakuma, knowing I was acting strangely as the succubus simply waited patiently for me to make a coherent response. "Books. Yes. Looking for books."

"Oh, of course," Koa replied, cocking her head slightly. "But could you be a bit more specific? There are a great many books here." Her patient smile widened slightly, as if she'd made a joke.

"Oh, you know." Her long red hair looked so soft, framed by those cute little wings on either side of her head. "Gods and stuff." That adorable, demure smile that oozed subservience. "Religion. You know." I could just imagine her pinned to a bed, her hot, curvy body squirming under my fingers, her mouth slightly open as she panted and just looked at me, silently begging with her eyes. "That sort of thing."

"Ah, yes, yes! I should have guessed." The lesser devil turned and continued upward, her skirt-clad rear sticking out a little as she hefted her load. "If you'll follow me. We have somewhat of a limited selection regarding religion and divine lore, but it is still quite a substantial collection by any means." I barely heard her as I followed, a silent war raging inside me between my head and my crotch as the hem of her skirt rose higher and higher.

My own hand and arm looked like some foreign appendage as my already ill-contained libido reached out of its own accord, waving lazily back and forth in time with Koakuma's spaded tail until...

"M-miss Reimu!" Koakuma cried out. Reality rushed back into my brain like a splash of cold water, and I jerked my arm back as if the poor girl's tail had done something to me.

"I-I'm so sorry!" I blurted, my head feeling like it had burst into flame. "I didn't mean to— You were just so—" What the hell could I say? I'm so sexually frustrated I looked up your skirt and almost lost control of myself!

Yes, perfect.

"It's quite alright," was her surprising response to my lack of self control. "As a native of Makai, I can have a— a strange effect on people." The demon was blushing as hard as I was. I couldn't take any more.

"I'm very sorry," I repeated, trying hard to keep my voice from wavering. "I'll continue on alone. Sorry to trouble you." She began to protest but I flew up and away, so fast her words were drowned out by air rushing past my burning ears. This aura of hers—this effect—had never affected me before. Why now? Had I fallen so far? Was sexuality all I had been suppressing during my career as Gensokyo's peacekeeper? I felt a little hollow at the thought.

"Damn it. What's happening to me?" I asked for the umpteenth time. I chose to curse myself, instead of the only other person I could blame, as the overly pragmatic part of me reminded me that I was at a certain age where feelings like this ran rampant, urges like these commonplace and to be expected. Yukari couldn't have picked a better time to take advantage of me.

But was it really taking advantage? I hadn't been the least bit reluctant or resistant to give myself over to that damned gap hag.

The first time she'd said those magic words, the first time she'd said she loved me, my whole body lit up. I began to shiver but I was so hot, and when she hugged me I broke out in goosebumps all over. I remembered it so vividly, could feel her arms around me and her breathy whisper in my ear. "I love you Reimu." I'd mustered a dumbstruck, "What? Me?" And then she kissed me. My head swam like I was drunk as I kissed her back and had my first sexual experience with another person: a million year old youkai.

Cue a month of homo-eroticism culminating in my present sexual frustration.

The memory was just too much for me. Heart racing and body aching, I stopped and took stock of my surroundings, but everything looked exactly the same as it had when I was with Koakuma. At least she hadn't followed me. I don't know what I would've done if she had. I was at my limit. Beyond, even. I had to do something.

My first step was to make my way to the outer wall, and to fly up to the nearest catwalk as opposed to heading any lower and risking running into the succubus with the lust aura again. Next, I blew out a couple of the nearer candles so as to shroud my activities in darkness. Finally, I unceremoniously plopped on my butt and hoisted my skirt, legs spreading eagerly.

My bloomers were practically dripping, and cold to the touch after my swift getaway. Had Koakuma seen?

It didn't matter now.

With a great effort of will, I slowly dragged my fingertips across my midsection. The ticklish sensation was amplified a thousandfold by my arousal, sending shivers out through my tensed muscles. My breath came hot and heavy as I teased myself, like some sort of punishment for almost losing control, using only my fingertips to stimulate everywhere but where I wanted it most.

"Yukari..." My voice was a whimper as I finally gave in and slipped a hand under my waistband and across my scorching loins. I yearned for her deft, delicate touch, for her lips on mine, her teeth on my neck, her breath in my ear, anything. "Wh—what?" Was this love? Could it be that simple? "Y-Yukari... Yukari!" I called her name, again and again, both hands at work now, rubbing and pinching and teasing.

"You called?" Arms wrapped around me from behind, golden hair barely visible as I felt it tickle my neck.

I turned in her embrace and kissed her hard, simultaneously tugging on her to pull her down on top of me. She kissed me back but didn't budge, and I pulled away to huff at her, my body quivering and my brain a wreck.

"What ever did you call me for, my dear Reimu? Surely it wasn't for something so simple as a kiss?" She smiled slightly, an inquisitive tilt to her head. She had to know how I felt right now. I should have expected this.

"You've been watching me," I said simply. I wasn't going to say I was glad she had been. Who knew who was listening to me cry out for a lover in the darkness?

"You know I can't help myself, Reimu." Yukari's smile swelled into a grin, and she even blushed a little. "Not a minute goes by I don't think about you. You don't know how many times I've called your name out in the dark knowing you couldn't hear me." She gave me a peck on the lips, and suddenly I felt guilty. She really was in love with me. It was easy to forget.

"I wish I knew how to love you back." It was all I could think to say, and I really did mean it. It seemed to make Yukari happy.

"Me too," she replied bashfully. That was a rare expression to see on her regal face. "But it's for you to discover and decide, Reimu. It might be a bit unfair for me to make the decision for you."

I'd come to know her as well as she'd come to know me during our recent and rather frequent liaisons. It was a little hard to see in the dark, but the way she was breathing, the tone of her voice, even her posture, half-concealed as her body was, told me she was getting worked up too.

"Well you can help out a little right?" I whispered softly, and took a strand of her hair between my fingers.

That did it. She lunged forward, snaking from her otherworldly portal to pin me to the ground. I egged her on, running my fingers over her cheek, down her jawline and across her collarbones. Her skin was warm to the touch, and I was by no means cold. In response she grabbed my fingers and began to lick them before putting them in her mouth, her other hand sliding under my top and over my bound breasts. Her tongue between my fingers was heavenly, but I was aching. Every caress, every flick of her tongue made my body twitch, and I took to rubbing my thighs together in an effort to stimulate myself.

"You're such a dirty miko," Yukari said, nuzzling her nose to mine. "I love it."

"No thanks to you," I replied, nipping at her lower lip. She just laughed, straightening to straddle me and tug on my top. I loosened the ribbons on my sleeves and lifted my arms, letting it all slide away to expose my sarashi, my hot, stiff nipples poking up against them. Yukari noticed, and immediately started pinching and twisting them while her knee slid up between my legs. All I could do was moan and grind against her while she smiled lustily.

"You're quite the mess, aren't you?" Yukari finally saw my soaked-through undergarments, and pulled them off me to hold them up, pinched between her thumb and forefinger. She glanced at me with raised eyebrows, her smile almost accusing.

"It's your fault you know!" I retorted, snatching them away from her and tossing them above my head.

"Yes, I do know." With that she dove under my skirts, and I let out a little yelp as her hot tongue pressed against the inside of my thigh. I wasn't going to let her tease me, though. I squeezed my legs together, so she'd have only one place to lick next. I expected her to make a comment, some remark about my impatience, but instead she went straight to it, kissing my wet, engorged nether lips and flicking her tongue across my clitoris in-between.

This was what I'd been waiting for, what I'd been shuffling about with a head full of dirty thoughts all day over, and it was absolutely amazing. Yukari had barely done anything, was still just getting started, and I was already trembling and unable to control my voice as I moaned and continued to call her name. Wet slurping noises came from under my dress as Yukari intensified her ministrations and sucked my now hypersensitive clit into her mouth and battered it with her tongue, her fingers spreading me from the inside and hitting my most sensitive places with practiced ease.

I couldn't stop myself from tangling my fingers in her soft golden hair, more for something to hold on to than anything else. I was getting close, my near constant arousal since the previous night finally finding release at the hands of the one who had caused it all. My whole body tensed up as orgasm finally hit me, and I shamelessly ground my hips against Yukari's face as I came. She didn't stop either, her fingers and tongue working faster than ever as I shook and wailed her name until finally the tension left me and I went limp.

I barely heard her laugh as my head swam and my vision struggled to regain focus.

"Finished already?" The dextrous youkai slid up next to me, fitting her body to mine. I mustered enough strength to laugh and roll on top of her.

"Not even close. Even though you gave me a lot of trouble with your little game, you managed to make it worth it in the end." I felt a little like a wind-up toy that she had set off the night before, with this exact spot as my destination. But I didn't care. "Being a mere human, I'd end up feeling guilty if I left you here in the same state you left me last night."

"That's right, Reimu." That was my attempt at sparking another fire, but Yukari's rejoinder was unexpectedly solemn. "You're only human. A human heart can only give so much."

"Wh-what do you mean?" I asked cautiously, planting my rear on her stomach to rest my legs. She smiled and wrapped her fingers around my wrists.

"Even though you've been cold and distant, it was all in the name of balance, all for Gensokyo. I was annoyed, at first, that you treated me just the same as you did everyone else, but I soon came to realize it was because you felt it was your duty. You love this wondrous land as much as I do.

"That realization was what made me fall in love with you. You sacrificed the most human parts of yourself to remain pure and maintain balance. In some ways, you are stronger even than me."

I felt a familiar electric tingling crawl across my body, and my eyes inexplicably began to well up. "You're telling me that I was less human than a youkai," I replied with a crooked smile.

"You know exactly what I mean!" Yukari scowled at me, and reached up to pinch my cheek. It sent shivers across my face that ran down to my chest.

I laughed again as she pulled. "Yes. I do." I kissed her then, long and slow, played with her hair, caressed her neck. I still wasn't sure if I was in love, but I was damn close if this wasn't it. "At least we know who to blame when Gensokyo goes to hell because the resident shrine maiden can't keep her hands to herself." That was as close to a confession as I could grant the poor youkai beneath me, and I punctuated what I meant by giving her chest a rough squeeze.

My reward was a surprised, yet somehow dignified exclamation from my lover at the sudden mood shift. Then a smile crept onto her face, her eyelids settling at a sultry half-closed as I continued to feel her up. I found myself eager, excited even, to reciprocate the pleasure she'd given me despite what she'd put me through. She'd shown up at my shrine more times than I could count, sometimes multiple times in a day, all lovey-dovey and touchy-feely. I'd end up a sopping sweaty mess, with her absolutely beaming before making tea or just plain leaving without even taking off her clothes.

"Here, take this off." Her dress was hindering me, so I tugged it upward and we awkwardly pulled it off of her together with a little bit of wiggling and grunting. Underneath was nothing but her warm, rosy skin. "I see you came prepared." To my surprise, she chose not to speak, instead guiding one of my hands back to her chest.

I obliged, squeezing only lightly while planting a trail of kisses from her neck down, stopping to nibble on her fleshy stomach along the way to my destination. She gave a less dignified yelp when my teeth sunk into her belly, and I could practically feel the heat coming off of her face. She spent so much time sleeping, eating, and drinking that her body, while not chubby by any means, did have a fair bit of meat on it. Her stomach and rear especially, though her bust wasn't much larger than mine was when unwrapped.

I loved it. It gave me plenty to hold on to as I ended my journey down her delicious body between her thick thighs. She began to squirm as my hot breaths washed over her sex, and my fingers tentatively kneaded her inner thighs as I fought down a wave of butterflies. I was excited, but nervous too since I'd never had the opportunity to do much more than writhe in my youkai lover's grasp.

Now was my chance to make her squirm. I screwed my eyes shut, stuck my tongue out, and went for it.

And she moaned! My stomach surged with elation as I remembered I had hands and added them to the equation, pulling at one of her slick outer lips and slipping a finger into her hot insides. All I could really do was remember what made me feel good and hope for the best, and so far it seemed to be working. Now she was calling my name, her hips twitching this way and that as I put all my effort into pleasuring her.

Soon I had a rhythm going that matched the bucking of her hips and the undulations of her back, my tongue working around her clit while two of my fingers attacked what I hoped was her weak spot. Eager to please as I was, though, I couldn't help but play with her a bit as well. I licked around the edges of her button, avoiding contact save for quick, light brushes. She whimpered at first, but with each tiny touch she grew louder and louder until I took it into my mouth like she'd done to me and suckled hard with my tongue flicking relentlessly.

My chest swelled further when I realized she was having an orgasm. My fingers were nearly forced out of her as her slick inner walls clamped down on them. I was mesmerized as I watched her shake and groan, her soaking pussy practically gushing while her hands groped roughly at her breasts. It was an incredibly erotic sight, and when coupled with the fact that I was the one who'd caused it, I was rushed with an almost intoxicating satisfaction.

Soon enough, she went limp just as I had. "A-are you sure," Yukari began between heaving breaths, "that you've never done this before?" She held her arms out and I laid next to her, receiving a flurry of little pecks all over my face and lips.

"Positive," I said through her assault, burying my face in her neck and laughing as she continued to kiss the top of my head. "So it was good?" I peeked up at her, and she was absolutely radiant. Her smile was huge, her hair a sexy mess and her purple eyes shining.

"Absolutely wonderful." My stomach flipped and I squeezed her tight, deliriously happy at having been proficient at lesbian sex.

"Yukari I...I think I—"

"Ah, ah! Save it for when you know. Thinking is all well and good but there are some things that can't be figured out even with deep, introspective contemplation."

My face lit up in an instant, but she returned my embrace and I snuggled closer to her. It was comforting, and I felt like I could have easily fallen asleep.

"Especially after what we've just done. You're being awfully affectionate, for example."

"I really, really, really like you, then," I said into her cleavage. What a way to confess. Lying on the floor in someone else's home, naked and dripping bodily fluids all over their carpet a thousand stories up where it'd never get cleaned. "I know that, at least."

There was silence, for a few moments. Then Yukari squealed in delight. I was hugged so tight the press of her breasts was almost airtight, and she shook back and forth vigorously. While squealing.

"I love you so much, Reimu!"

"I know." I wasn't sure if she could hear me with my words going straight into her tits, but she eventually let me go, slightly shamefaced at her outburst.

"Well," she finally said, parting from me and standing up. "I suppose we should do something about this." She gestured towards the haphazard pile of red and purple that was our clothes.

"Are you embarrassed?" I asked, leering at her with a big grin. "Imagine how I felt the first time you saw me naked." I stood as well, while she crouched and tossed my clothes further away and gathered her own up. It was just the sort of vindication I needed to fully enjoy harassing someone. Marisa gave it up easy, but Yukari was a tough nut to crack.

"I suppose I am," she replied, straightening and tossing her hair. "But I mean it every time I say it."

"I meant what I said too. I want you to know that." Even after all the adrenaline and endorphins had drained away, I was glad that I actually felt what I said I did.

"Oh stop it. You're making me blush." The haughty youkai avoided my gaze and turned away brusquely, but picked up my clothes and brought them to me. She wouldn't look me in the eye for some reason. I must have really worked her up. "I don't doubt you, but if you say it too much you'll never be able to get rid of me."

"I think I can live with that."

We dressed ourselves in silence, blushing and smiling like idiots. At least, I was anyways.

"Care to join me?" She asked while I finished pulling on my now ice-cold bloomers. A gap was lurking on the floor, the myriad eyes within staring fixedly at Yukari.

"It'd be a little weird if I just up and disappeared," I replied. I wanted to go with her, but I wanted to see my little matchmaking endeavor through to the end. "Unless you plan on feeding me opulent and expensive delicacies."

"Why, I'd say you've already enjoyed a rather grand meal today." Yukari swung her hips out, striking a sensual pose. When I didn't respond, she dropped it completely, her face and tone going flat. "I'm way too lazy to feed more than just me right now, anyway."

"I guess I'll just have to seek out finer cuisine then." I had to hold back my laughter, as well as an urge to wrap my arms around her neck and kiss her again. I'd really become quite enamored to her weird sense of theatrics.

"Well then, I suppose I'll let you get back to bullying Marisa," she said by way of a goodbye. "You'll tell me if you two...you know." She made a rude gesture, and I slapped at her hands with a scowl. "Won't you?"

"Only if you promise not to do anything I'll have to hate you for." It felt a little odd that we were so nonchalantly discussing my interest in someone else, but it was worlds better than ending up fighting about it. "I really don't think you have much to worry about though."

"I'd die if you hated me, Reimu." She gave me a quick kiss. I almost trailed after her as she stood straight again.

"Now I know how to get rid of you if you start to annoy me." I grinned at her, but she didn't smile back to my surprise. She hmph'd and looked down her nose, arms crossed elegantly but still defensively.

"I doubt you could bring yourself to. You're just a weak human, after all."

"That you're madly in love with."

"Everybody has faults."

Now she chose to smile, giving a short wave as she dropped through the floor. "See you soon, Reimu."

I waved back, watching as her portal blinked shut. I was sad to see her go, but I was also excited to see Marisa again.

"Ahh! I'm such a terrible person!" I took off and started flying straight downward at speed, feeling awful and wonderful at the same time.

Was there really any point to seriously considering who I would love more between the two of them? Couldn't I just love both of them or something? This was Gensokyo. Common sense did you no good in this land of myth and miracle, so it was okay for a girl to be in love with two other girls right? Never mind one was over a thousand years old and the other was a magical hermaphrodite. Not worth it to sweat the little details in the face of the L word.

At least, that's what I told myself to stave off the guilt lurking at the back of my mind.

Marisa was at the forefront of my thoughts again as I reached the ground floor of the library, and swooped over the towering shelves to find that nobody remained at Patchouli's tea table. My stomach dropped. Had Marisa been thrown out? I could easily see her upsetting Patchy by trying to defend her actions. "Just borrowing" was such a blatant untruth that it surprised me the kleptomaniacal witch still went out of her way to classify her actions as such.

"I'd better apologize," I muttered to the empty table as I took off again. I had a vague memory of where the library's keeper resided, but I figured it would only be a matter of time once I started tracing the wall.

Fortunately it wasn't long before I came across a door, indeed set into the wall as I remembered. I might have worried about whether it was the right one or not, but a crude placard hanging from a nail marked it as the librarian's room. I looked it over for a second, wondering who had made it. It was too colorful to be from Flandre, but really too poorly made to be from anyone else. I couldn't bring to mind anyone close enough to the resident magician to gift her something like this.

I gave a shrug and knocked on the door, figuring I could always just ask, but nobody answered. I gave the doorknob a try, finding it unlocked, and pushed inward. "Hey Pa—oh." I immediately backed out, my face flushed and my chest tightening. Well, now I knew where Marisa was. I closed the door quietly and composed myself, reflexively brushing out the front of my shirt after being reminded of my own recent intimate encounter. I couldn't help but smile, even though I was a bit jealous. At least they were getting along, right?

With one last deep breath, I knocked a bit louder this time and gave my entrance a little more force. "Patchouli, are you in here? I can't find Marisa." I lingered behind the open door another moment, which opened inward and prevented me from seeing inside immediately.

It proved to be warning enough. When I rounded the door, Patchouli was still close to Marisa but had the slightly taller witch's braid in her hands. "Oh, there you are Marisa. She wasn't too much trouble, I hope?" Patchy was quick-witted. They'd been kissing not long ago, I was sure of it, but now she made it seem like she was tying up the bow in Marisa's braid. I suspected they'd done more as well. For some reason, the large bed in the middle of the room was completely bare and there was a fat, heavy-looking pillow on the floor.

"Not in the least," was Patchy's reply as she stepped back from Marisa.

"Heh, thanks Patchy." Marisa felt along her braid, a large red ribbon tied in a bow taking the place of her beat up green one.

"Think nothing of it." Patchouli blushed slightly and held out her hand.

"Oh, what's this? You used one'a yours?" Marisa seemed genuinely surprised as Patchouli shoved the old ribbon into her hand.

"Yours is frayed and I did not want to be responsible for damaging it further. Consider it a gift, if it will quiet your conscience."

Once again I was smiling. They were pretty damn adorable together. Marisa, loud and brash, and Patchouli, quiet and wordy. It was just so cute. I couldn't be jealous. Well, I couldn't be too jealous. It wouldn't be fair.

"Well thank ya," Marisa said cheekily, and stuffed her old ribbon into one of her dress' many pockets.

"Giving gifts already? Glad to see you two getting along." I smiled wide for Patchy, but went right back to pushing Marisa's buttons. "Color me impressed, Marisa. I thought you might not have the tact to handle this on your own." In response, the witch brushed past me and sat heavily in a large, ornate chair.

"I like ya just plain red'n'white."

"You're absolutely welcome," I said mockingly, enjoying her pouting face. She didn't like getting help with anything, unless she stole it some way or another.

"She was quite...forthcoming about the situation," Patchy said, eying her younger counterpart. "She admitted guilt for her misdeeds and promised to return my books, as well as cease her thievery. I will allow her to borrow regularly, though I do have one request, Reimu."

"A request?" Forthcoming? What really went on here? "Are you sure she couldn't use a little more penance?" I asked, pointing at Marisa.

"I'm right here ya know."

"She spends a goodly amount of time at your shrine does she not? Please remind her to return my possessions."

"I ain't a dumb kid! Why don'tcha just tell me yourself?" Patchy and I gave her the sort of glance parents might give a noisy child when they're trying to talk about something serious. She just scowled back, the endearing little thing.

"Of course. It's the least I could do."

"You have my gratitude."

"Tch."

"Say, you wouldn't happen to have a couple extra places at the table would you?" Now seemed like as good a time as any to ask. Eating Sakuya's cooking would've been the highlight of this trip, but Yukari changed all that. Even seeing the chemistry between Marisa and Patchy made the trip worthwhile.

"I could go for somethin' to eat, too," Marisa chimed in as she stood up. After what I suspected the two of them got up to, they were probably starving. I mean, the bedsheets were gone. It made me almost unbearably curious.

"Very well. I am sure Sakuya will be able to prepare something for the three of us. I myself could benefit from some proper nourishment." We followed Patchy back out into the library, my empty stomach fluttering with anticipation.

"That's kinda scary to hear someone say," Marisa said somewhat seriously. "You should take better care'a yourself."

"I do not want to hear that from you, who lives in a magically polluted forest and eats nothing but unknowable fungus on a daily basis." Marisa stopped dead, and Patchy and I set off into the air. I couldn't help but laugh at the poor earthbound witch as we left her behind. As icing on the cake, Patchouli stopped for just moment atop one of her shelves. "Do try to keep up, would you?"

I was laughing almost all the way up the long staircase back into the mansion proper, garnering a couple concerned glances from Patchy.

"Shes fun to mess with, huh?" I asked once I'd calmed down. We ended up waiting at the top of the stairs. Patchy hovered while I sat on the top step.

"I suppose. It isn't very difficult."

"You got that right." I chuckled again, my stomach now not only growling but feeling tight from all the laughter. "You two seem to get along pretty well though."

"You could say I have something of a soft spot for her. Despite her hardheadedness and tendency to overcompensate, she always tries her very best and never gives in." Patchouli was actually blushing noticeably, a distant look in her eyes as she peered down the stairwell. "Those, at least, are admirable traits. That she feels guilt for her methods of acquirement are testament to her inherent good nature."

What a speech. She must really like Marisa. "She really is something else. She's always hovering around me because I'm so skilled with danmaku, but I guess even I ended up getting a little attached to her. Now we're something like best friends."

"Oh." Patchy glanced at me, her reverie broken. "That is...nice."

I looked up at her, but she looked away quickly after our eyes met for just a split second. Did I upset her somehow? It was hard to tell. Hopefully she wouldn't think of me as competition, even though I kind of was. I suddenly felt awful again, a messy tangle of morality muddling up my already less than clear feelings.

Fortunately, Marisa came huffing up the steps before I decided to open my mouth again. I didn't know if there was anything there to make worse or to clear up, but dropping the subject seemed safest. We let the worn out witch rest for a few minutes before following Patchouli, silence descending. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, but I couldn't help feeling tense. The look Patchy had given me made me uneasy, and I found it hard to say anything at all. I hadn't even poked fun at Marisa when she was complaining about the climb.

With Marisa groaning about being sick to death of stairs, Patchouli led us up one last flight and stopped at a huge, finely embellished window. It looked like a window anyway, but it opened down the middle like a set of gigantic glass doors onto a cobblestone veranda. The outdoor terrace was spacious, and hosted several round tables. The three of use took seats at the nearest one, which was a nice shade of light pink. A large umbrella impaled the center, blood-red of course, and provided shade.

"Shall I prepare something for you?" Sakuya's voice made me jump in my seat. My back was to the window-doors, and she was suddenly bowing behind my chair.

"Yes, please," Patchy replied. "Some tea as well."

"Of course."

Well, at least I got my meal. It wasn't long before Sakuya brought out some rather strong black tea, and a tiered carrier loaded with sandwiches cut into little triangles. Before the tray even hit the table Marisa was reaching for it.

"Thanks for the food!" She said, and started stuffing her face. Sakuya didn't even blink. Patchy daintily nibbled on one little triangle while I fought down the urge to mimic my brazen friend.

"Wow, these're really good!" Marisa was on her fifth sandwich by the time I'd finished two, and still going. The tray was almost empty on her side, on all three tiers.

"Control yourself a little, would you?" I said, half serious.

"Ain't this the whole reason ya came here?" Marisa retorted. I felt my face go hot.

"O-of course not," I said lamely. "Well, okay. This time it was." Marisa smiled around a full mouth, and even Patchy reacted.

"Sakuya's cooking is rather exceptional, is it not?"

The relief I felt when Patchouli finally spoke was so great it was embarrassing. The fact that she smiled as well was comforting beyond belief. She was naturally quiet and self contained, yet a simple glance had me getting all worked up over nothing.

"Better'n mine, that's for sure," Marisa said. Apparently sated, she sat back and gulped her now cold tea down, the empty cup clattering as she sighed contentedly.

"Mine too, I'm afraid." I had emptied my side of the tray as well. Only Patchouli had anything left, but I couldn't bring myself to take some.

"I do not usually consume food for sustenance, but this was rather enjoyable. I thank you again, Reimu, for your assistance in bringing our little thief here to justice." Patchouli rose from her chair, and immediately started floating in place. She kind of looked like a ghost that way.

"Hehe, sorry for causin' you guys so much trouble." Marisa seemed to be a bit less fiery with a full belly. "And thanks, Reimu."

"It was my pleasure, truly. But if I could maybe take home the rest of those..." Moments like this made me wish I could shut off my feelings even for just five minutes at a time. The shame burning through my guts right then was almost unbearable, but the idea of a proper meal at dinner time made it just barely tolerable. How had I been so utterly unfeeling for so long?

"I certainly do not mind. I'm sure Sakuya will be flattered." Patchouli graciously turned the tray so the remaining sandwiches were facing me. "Sakuya, a basket if you please! If you'll excuse me, then."

"Later, Patchy."

"Thanks for everything." Patchouli glided back into the mansion while Marisa and I stood and stretched. For such tiny things, those sandwiches were pretty filling, and now I had a whole bunch to take home, too.

Patchouli thanked Sakuya on her way back inside, before the maid herself came out with a small wicker basket. "I'm glad you appreciate my skills. It's not often I get to prepare something so simple." She folded back a thin cloth from the top of the basket before delicately lifting the small sandwiches and placing them inside one at a time.

"You're gonna share right?" Marisa asked.

"They were delicious, Sakuya," I said, ignoring Marisa completely. "Thanks." I took the basket from her and she bowed.

"Do come again sometime. My mistress talks of you now and again."

"Of course. Thanks again."

"Later, Sakuya."

With that, Marisa and I flew over the edge of the balcony and around to the front of the manor, passing over some of the beautiful, sprawling gardens as we did so. It was a wonder that only Meiling took care of the entire grounds.

"So things went well then?" I asked as we set down to walk up to the front gates. Marisa was a bit reluctant to follow, but I made an insistent gesture. "It's only proper," I added.

"Yeah, I guess. It went pretty well," Marisa said nonchalantly. "I apologized a ton, even though she said she didn't want an apology. Then we just talked it out."

"I see. I'm glad the two of you got that ironed out—"

A high pitched squeal interrupted me as the huge iron gates swung inward with surprising speed. Meiling came dashing through behind them and scooped Marisa up in a bear hug, absolutely beaming.

"Ooooooh! I'm so happy for you!" The gatekeeper said, squeezing Marisa tight. The captive witch glanced at me nervously, her arms pinned to her sides.

"I warned you didn't I?" I gave a big smile and took off, a little confused, but also envious of my friend's position. Her face was mashed right into Meiling's delicious bosom as the energetic redhead spun around and around with the witch in her grip.

I still had that huge grin on my face when Marisa came blasting by me a few minutes later, a brilliant white beam trailing behind her broom. I tumbled end over end in her wake, and saw her sticking her tongue out at me as she zipped towards the shrine.

I put on a burst of speed, making sure to avoid the laser trail, and loosed a few ineffectual homing amulets that fluttered aimlessly before dissipating. She was just too damn fast! They'd have probably burned up in the beam trying to follow behind her anyways.

When I finally reached the shrine, Marisa was halfway down the steps, just staring up at it. I set down behind her and she turned to me with a huge grin splitting her face and her chest expanding with rapid breaths. I smiled back, my own breath coming a little quicker. Though my little plan hadn't played out quite as I expected, I was glad she'd come back to the shrine. I felt a little empty imagining returning without her.

Without warning, Marisa's smile faded. Her eyes seemed to quiver, darting back and forth ever so slightly between my own before she leaned toward me. She hesitated for only a second, and then kissed me. I simply let it happen, unbridled joy swirling in my chest.

"I-I'm sor—!" I was much more insatiable than I thought. When she pulled back, looking worried with her face red up to her ears, I grabbed her hand and pulled her up the steps two at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again everyone. As always, thanks very much for taking the time to read my work. This chapter is a little bit different. Did you enjoy it? I had quite a lot of fun writing it. I originally intended to post it as a standalone, but I ended up feeling like it tied too closely to the main storyline to be enjoyed independently. Hopefully it was worth another long wait! Thanks again, and please feel free to share your thoughts and feelings.


	5. Laid Bare

IV: Laid Bare

The climb was much more difficult than anticipated, and Marisa's estimate of smiling the whole way fell short by half. Reimu wasn't with her to make fun of her and be cute, and Patchy had followed Reimu's lead with her own jeer before the two of them flew off laughing. It became a grudging test of willpower, but her desire to be near the two sharp-tongued girls lasted much longer than her grin.

And oh what a desire it was. It buzzed in the back of her mind, images of Reimu's smile or Patchy's faintly affectionate glare spurring her to take another step, and another and another until, finally, the top of the stairs came into view. Marisa's heart leaped when she saw Reimu sitting on the top step, leaning back on her arms, and again at Patchouli floating next to the shrine maiden like some purple phantom. All she could do was plop down between them and inhale, exhale, inhale again. 

Once her heartbeat had dropped to within normal bounds she stood, and the three of them silently exited the room. No one said a single word. Marisa herself for obvious reasons, but her companions hadn't even bothered to, well, bother her. It made her uncomfortable not being berated one way or another, especially when Reimu was around. Belatedly she realized that she'd not just gotten used to but had started to enjoy being harassed. And not just verbally in some cases.

“Geeze...” She'd been following blindly, wondering why she was so messed up in the head when Patchouli led them up yet more stairs. She began to complain, but the tense silence stayed her tongue when she realized she wasn't going to get what she wanted. Neither of them had given her more than a glance when she'd come huffing up from the library, and it seemed that was all either of them could spare. Just that single flight of stairs made Marisa's legs ache all over again, but fortunately respite was near. Patchy opened a giant window like a door, and they all sat down at one of several quaint, round tables on the outdoor terrace it led to.

Reimu eyed the red umbrella above them disdainfully, Patchouli stared off into the distance, and Marisa just sat back and watched them. She couldn't help but wonder if something had happened between the two of them, especially since Patchouli had somehow known of Marisa's feelings. Had their intimacy given her enough courage to tell Reimu off? No, Reimu wasn't one to take a challenge sitting down. She'd be much more vocal if that were the case, provided the shy, bookish elementalist even worked up the courage to say something in the first place.

“Shall I prepare something for you?” Sakuya was suddenly right behind Reimu, bowing slightly with her eyes closed. The shrine maiden jumped in her seat, eyes wide, and even Marisa had been a little startled.

“Yes, please.” Patchy responded first. “Some tea as well.”

“Of course.”

The maid departed as quickly as she'd appeared, and silence descended once more. What was going on here? Maybe Patchy hadn't said anything at all. Maybe Reimu had figured things out. The thought was not a comforting one. Her already slim chances of worming her way into Reimu's heart would be obliterated if her recent escapades were to be discovered. Maybe the encounter with Ran could be explained if she made herself out to be a victim, but with Patchy it was much different, and she didn't even want to mention Yukari. She felt like laughing and crying at the same time. She was willing to do anything to prove she loved Reimu, but how true was that love when she'd betrayed it twice already?

The sullen silence threatened to overwhelm her with these thoughts burning through her mind, but Sakuya soon returned with the tea Patchouli requested as well as a tall carousel tray with three levels. Each tier was loaded with tiny sandwiches, and the maid set it in the center of the table in such a way that each of them got their own “side” before pouring three cups of dark black tea. Marisa wasted no time in filling the void she felt in her gut with food. She could be morose later, on a full stomach, with a bed to curl up in. “Thanks for the food!” Grabbing a tiny triangle in each hand, she dug in. They were soft and moist, making it that much easier to take bite after bite. “Wow these're really good!”

“Control yourself a little, would you?” Reimu finally spoke, though not before wolfing a couple of her own sandwiches. Marisa's stomach did a flip, even as her cheeks colored from being rebuked.

“Ain't this the whole reason ya came here?” Maybe she could bait some more if she made a couple snarky comments of her own.

“O-of course not.” Reimu stuttered. She actually looked embarrassed. “Well, okay. This time it was.” Marisa had to suppress her laughter, or else she'd end up spraying sandwich everywhere, but she couldn't keep a huge smile off her face. Reimu had been acting so strange lately. Marisa couldn't remember the last time she'd seen the icy shrine maiden get embarrassed, to the point that she doubted it had ever happened before now. It made her think back to earlier that morning when her friend stripped herself half naked just to prove she had tits.

“Sakuya's cooking is rather exceptional, is it not?” Patchouli joined as well, the brooding silence finally abolished on all three sides.

“Better'n mine, that's for sure.” Marisa drained the little teacup Sakuya had set beside her. She had almost forgotten it was there at all. The tea was bitter, but the lingering taste of the sandwiches on her tongue helped it go down easy.

“Mine too, I'm afraid.” Reimu gazed longingly at Patchy's portion, which was missing only maybe two or three morsels. Marisa had finished hers before even Reimu, who had come here solely for free food.

“I do not usually consume food for sustenance, but this was rather enjoyable. I thank you again, Reimu, for your assistance in bringing our little thief here to justice.” With a sly glance at Marisa and a slight smile on her face, Patchy floated up from her seat.

“Hehe, sorry for causin' you guys so much trouble.” That tiny glance made Marisa's chest tighten a bit. Nothing was stopping her from just staying here and spending more time with Patchouli.

“It was my pleasure, truly,” Reimu was saying. Marisa had to look up from her hands, which she had started to wring in her lap. “But if I could take home the rest of those...” She squeezed her fingers even harder to hold down laughter. Just what was going on in that girl's head these days? Not long ago she would've demanded them, as payment for her help or something. Hell, she probably wouldn't have even gone out of her way to make this trip in the first place, at least on Marisa's behalf.

“I certainly do not mind. I'm sure Sakuya will be flattered.” If Patchy had noticed Reimu's altered behavior, she showed no sign. Instead, she graciously relinquished the remainder of her meal, called for Sakuya, and took her leave.

“Later, Patchy.” The sickly girl floated around the table and towards the open glass doors, leaving a pang of longing in Marisa's gut. Just what would happen if she followed? Reimu had no reason not to believe her if she said she wanted to look around properly now that she had full access. Unless of course one of them said something, or she'd been figured out already. More than that though, just how would Patchouli feel? The poor girl had essentially acknowledged being jilted, and then sat down and eaten a meal with the girl she loved and the girl the girl she loved loved...or something like that. Regardless, it couldn't have been a pleasant experience.

Her indecision decided for her. Her stomach was churning and her mind racing with possibilities when she realized Patchy was gone. Maid soon replaced magician, toting a small wicker basket with a cloth over the top.

“I'm glad you appreciate my skills,” the maid offered as she folded the cloth back to delicately set each triangle into the basket. “It's not often I get to prepare something so simple.” When she finished, she folded the cloth back over and passed the package to Reimu.

“You're gonna share right?” Marisa could have eaten everyone's share, and then some.

“They were delicious, Sakuya. Thanks.” Reimu spared Marisa a disdainful side glance while Sakuya bowed.

“Do come again sometime. My mistress talks of you now and again.” Sakuya straightened and folded her hands in front of her, smiling pleasantly, if a little stiffly.

“Of course. Thanks again.” Reimu set off, gliding over the edge of the balcony.

“Later, Sakuya.” Marisa followed suit, though a little reluctantly. She was perfectly capable of flying without a broom, like most of Gensokyo's inhabitants, but she felt it betrayed the whole point of becoming a magician. A minor infraction against her own personal rules was acceptable, however, in the face of climbing more stairs. It was like a kind of punishment, walking the entirety of Patchouli's staircase down and up, and she definitely deserved it, but that was through now. She could slack off a little and not feel too bad about it, right? Except she still felt bad, about pretty much every decision she'd made in the past twenty-four hours.

“So things went well then?” Reimu asked as they wrapped around the front. She decided to land on the dirt path, waving Marisa down sternly when the witch didn't follow. “It's only proper,” she muttered when Marisa rolled her eyes.

“Yeah I guess,” Marisa replied, both to Reimu's question and her sense of propriety. She landed on shaky legs and pretended to look at the flowers bordering the walkway. It made it easier to lie. “I apologized a ton, even though she said she didn't want an apology. Then we just talked it out.”

“I see. I'm glad the two of you got that ironed out—”

Suddenly the huge front gates were practically blasted inward, the crash of iron against brick outdone only by a squealing Meiling running full speed at Marisa.

“Ooooooh!” Marisa was terrified, Reimu's words coming back to her about keeping her distance from the redhead, but it was too late. She was swept up, her arms pinned to her sides and her back creaking in the youkai sentry's hug. “I'm so happy for you!” Meiling was smiling down at her and squeezing her tight. She looked to Reimu for— for anything really, but the shrine maiden was grinning as well.

“I warned you didn't I?” Was the only consolation the miko offered, and while it was just the treatment Marisa had been wishing for, it came at the most inopportune time possible. Worse yet, Reimu was leaving, with that fat, smug grin on her face as she took off and left Marisa to fend for herself.

“Wha—?” Marisa looked back up at Meiling's beaming face, her head right between the buxom fighter's breasts. How could she be so athletic with tits like these? If Marisa hadn't been so nervous she'd be rock hard, but Meiling started spinning, and nausea quickly replaced arousal.

“You and Patchy!” Meiling said excitedly. She held Marisa out in front of her like a small animal, bouncing slightly with her huge grin. The frazzled witch's breaths came quick and short as she dangled there, her underarms smarting and her brain still unable to choose between horny and scared.

“M-me and Patchy what?” Marisa asked dumbly. There was only one thing she and Patchy did together besides talk. China's toothy grin became small and sly. “I—I have no idea what you're talkin' about!” There was no way China could possibly know what happened. Sakuya almost never let her inside the mansion proper.

“I could feel the two of you mingling.” Meiling gave an exaggerated wink as she drew out the word. “All I could think was finally! She's liked you for a long time, you know?”

“How...? P-put me down!” Marisa started kicking her legs and flailing her arms as best she could, causing China to hold her even further out. It made her feel like a little kid, but Meiling finally set her down. The youkai sported a puzzled frown as Marisa huffed and took a step back, squeezing her arms to her sides. “Ah, that hurt!”

“Hey, relax! I'm not going to tell anyone or anything.” China spread her hands in a soothing gesture. “I just got a little excited. Like I said, I'm glad! I can feel, umm, life force I guess is a simple way to put it. I'm real good at it so I can sense people's feelings and stuff when they're nearby.” She maintained her grin through the whole explanation, while Marisa became increasingly distressed.

“Nearby? I wasn't even close! I was a thousand miles underground!” She just couldn't calm down even though China said she wouldn't tell. It was like someone was spying on her soul, and she'd had enough of invasions of privacy with Yukari's little dreamwalk inside her head.

“I can feel Patchy all the time down there, it can't be that far.” Without warning, China reached out to hug Marisa again. “It felt a little weird at first, and there was some sad stuff in there too, but not as bad as when she thought you didn't like her. Be nice to her okay?” She didn't do any swinging around this time, much to Marisa's relief, but for once she wasn't smiling when she said, “I know you like Reimu more, but I can tell you like Patchy a lot. So you better come back, or I'll drag you back here, got it?”

“I got it,” Marisa replied, meeting China's gaze. It was strange seeing the cheerful sentry looking so solemn. “Uh...thanks, Meiling.”

“So you do know my name!” The gate guard was all smiles again at the thief's appreciation, no questions asked. She picked the much smaller witch up again and carried her through the gates.

“Hey, I can walk, y'know.” Her legs still hurt, and Meiling was quite attractive, but being carried around like a little kid was a tad embarrassing.

“Oops!”

“What now?” Marisa asked as she was planted delicately on her feet. She was glad she'd never provoked China into showing off her specialty. She lifted Marisa as if the girl were light as a cloud.

“I didn't think they'd fall over.” Meiling hopped along the wall a short ways and stooped to pick up Marisa's personal effects. “Here. Sakuya left them with me a little while ago.” She shook the dust off Marisa's hat and thrust the items into their owner's arms.

“Oh!” Marisa replied with a sheepish grin. She settled her hat on her head right away. “Now I don't hafta go back and get'em.” She was so flustered what with lying to Reimu again, and then being practically crushed by Meiling, she might have just zipped away without even noticing her things weren't with her.

The youkai's grin turned sly again. “You're kinda cute when you blush.”

“Hey now, I'm in enough trouble already.” At least, that was what it felt like. The turmoil in her chest was only matched by the guilt constantly hounding her at the back of her mind. “I should really get goin'. Thanks again. For crushin' my spine.” She laughed when China planted her fist on her hip with a scowl. “And for my stuff too.” She mounted her broom and pulled out her hakkero, aiming it directly at the youkai. “And for keepin' my lil' secret too, of course.”

Meiling had started to laugh too, but when faced with the miniature furnace her glee evaporated in an instant. “D-don't even think about it!” She said, eyes wide as she scuttled sideways. Marisa tracked her. “I'll do worse than hug you! I mean it!”

“I'm just messin' with ya.” Marisa gave a chuckle, and lowered her arm. “Next time we duel, I won't use it.” With an evil grin still on her face, she rose into the air and reversed her position on her broom. “Ya still won't beat me,” she called down, “but it'll be more fun that way right?” China huffed for a second, but then decided to wave, wearing a half smile on her face as Marisa drifted up well above the manor's gates.

Then she really did fire a master spark, shouting the spell as loud as she could. She saw Meiling's eyes pop as the traumatized sentry dove to the ground, before she had to clap a hand over her hat. She went from completely inert to a brilliant black and white blur almost instantly. Her heart sped up to match her velocity, the feeling of shooting across the sky pushing all thoughts from her head and making her feel giddy and free.

In what felt like seconds, she blew by her friend, setting the much slower girl spinning end over end in her wake with her tongue out. She could tell Reimu saw because she was making an attempt to keep up, short-lived homing amulets fizzling out as she tried to retaliate.

A great swell of happiness flooded Marisa's body. It felt like her chest was overflowing, happiness pouring forth in the form of laughter. It was bliss just being near Reimu. Being able to spend time with her was like a dream come true. She didn't feel this way around anybody else. Not Patchy, not Alice, not Ran or Yukari. She liked all of them quite a bit, even Yukari to a degree, but Reimu was the one. She wanted to stop feeling guilty. She wanted to stop beating herself up over feeling the way she did.

The shrine soon came into view, sending a pleasant wave of nostalgic melancholy through Marisa. She had planned to go home, to sleep and mope and maybe contemplate the next step in her awkward assignment, but some invisible tether had pulled her straight here. She cut off her beam and touched down a little ways down the front steps, her heart racing and her breath coming in rapid puffs. She wore a huge grin as she contemplated the solemn building. It exuded a sleepy, almost somber atmosphere, but held so many precious memories. Precious to her, anyway, but what were they to Reimu? Some cherished, surely, but Marisa's exalted was likely Reimu's mundane.

But none of that mattered when Reimu landed behind her with a soft tap. Marisa turned, still breathing hard, still smiling like an idiot. Reimu smiled back at her, a small curve turning up the edges of her lips. It was intoxicating. At that moment, Marisa felt like they were the only two people in all Gensokyo. She felt her guts churn and her chest swell, felt herself gravitate slowly towards her friend, another invisible string tugging at her heart, she felt her eyes drift closed as Reimu's face came closer and closer...

A vice-like grip on her fingers snapped her out of her rose-tinted reverie. Reimu was frowning. Her blood ran cold as she fumbled over an apology but she was cut short as her friend tugged her around and up the steps. They took them two at a time together, Reimu's swaying ponytail giving no indication of what the miko herself might be thinking. What if she had ruined everything with this one stupid, impulsive action? She hadn't even had the decency to say something. A little part of her regretted that she didn't even remember what Reimu's lips felt like.

The walls of the shrine enveloped them, Marisa hastily removing her shoes so as not to dirty the floor while Reimu paused to glance around outside. Satisfied, Reimu kicked her shoes off as well before sliding the huge front doors shut behind her. The room darkened considerably, twilight shrouding the two of them. Reimu dropped her basket, the soft thud sounding loud in the sudden stillness as she turned to face Marisa.

“Reimu, listen,” Marisa pleaded, but the shrine maiden only walked slowly toward her, no hint of emotion on her face. “H-hear me out, I didn't mean to—” Her words died in her throat. I didn't mean to kiss you or anything! She sounded so absurd, like she always did. She realized she'd been backing away, waving her hands while she sputtered like a fool, but now Reimu was right in front of her.

“Take off your clothes.” The command was whispered into her ear, sending shivers across Marisa's cheek and neck, and Reimu circled her arms around the witch's waist to work at the knot that held her apron in place.

“What?” Her apron came loose and fell away. Marisa could only stare in disbelief at the white garment pooled at her feet as she repeated herself. “What?” Reimu's hands moved to tug at her studded shirt. Marisa was forced to lift her arms when her friend didn't stop, her fear giving way to confusion as she began to fumble out of her dress on reflex. She felt like she'd skipped from one dream to another; Reimu smirking as she unwound her sarashi and covered the swell of her unbound breasts, the sight of her standing on the steps, bathed in the waning dusk sunlight, even that tiny smile somehow radiant, and now being undressed by her in the soft half-light of her shrine.

Before she knew it she was down to her ill-fitting panties, her lack of any need to gird her chest leaving her the choice of covering her top or her bottom. She chose the bottom, blushing so hard she thought her head might burst coupled with the rush of blood pounding in her ears. Why was she so embarrassed? Because it was Reimu? She had almost no shame whatsoever feeling up Ran, at least until she screwed up, and certainly not when she was undressing herself in front of Patchouli. If Reimu had wanted to distance herself, she would have done so already. Instead, just the opposite was happening.

And now the shrine maiden was smiling a most lecherous smile. All it took was for her to brush her fingertips over the back of Marisa's hands, and the nearly naked witch was shuddering and letting them fall away to reveal what they had both known she was hiding. Already a dark spot was spreading at the tip of her bulge.

“Those, too,” Reimu said, her eyes drifting up Marisa's body. Her face was flushed, her sensual smile only growing as she drank in the witch's slight form.

It was obvious what she meant, but it still took Marisa a moment to muster the courage to slip her thumbs into her waistband and slide her last remaining article of clothing off. Her erection bounced as she stepped out of her panties, and both she and Reimu chewed their bottom lips at the same time, though for her it was out of nervousness.

She had no doubt that by now her cheeks matched the color of her friend's uniform. She started to fidget as she resisted the urge to cover herself again. Reimu just smiled at her, leaning close again. “Who knew a tomboy like you could be so cute?” She said before kissing Marisa. She took it slow, one hand softly kneading her friend's small breast while the other she pressed into the small of Marisa's back to pull her closer. “What other cute things can you do?” Reimu asked, wrapping her fingers around Marisa's painfully stiff member.

Marisa was ecstatic, if a little dumbstruck, but just what did she do now? She didn't know what to say or how to act. Reimu's hand was clumsily working her cock, and all she could do was watch, jaw slack and mind blank. Three words were flashing through that blankness ten times a second, but was this the right time? It seemed like she'd never have a better chance. Her out-of-the-blue kiss had somehow turned out in her favor. Maybe this was it. “R-Reimu,” she blurted out. She still wasn't sure what she wanted to say, but she didn't get the chance to say it when her friend gave her a short shove.

“Ah! Reimu?” She stumbled back a couple steps, her friend eying her suspiciously. Then she saw it. A little spot of white peeking from the edge of her dress pocket.

“Now what do we have here?” Reimu knelt to fuss with her friend's discarded clothing. “Just a little while ago I found myself thinking that you'd never stolen from me.” Sure enough, her hand went straight for that little white spot. She came back up smirking, her sarashi balled loosely in her hand.

“Y-you were gonna get rid of'em anyway!” Marisa replied, much too loudly. Her defense was feeble, as usual, but Reimu just kept on smiling.

“What could you possibly have planned to do with these?” She asked with mock innocence. “You don't have anything that needs binding. At least, not like I do.”

“I was gonna...gonna use'em,” Marisa admitted, voice subdued and cheeks aflame. She was forced to avert her gaze to her scrunched-up toes, unable to bring herself to say just how she was going to use them.

“I could teach you how to bind your chest, but I don't think it'll do you any good.” Reimu moved next to Marisa and lifted her friend's arm before starting to wind her sarashi around the nude magician's cock. Marisa got the idea and kept both arms in the air. “It might be better if we got this under control, I think.” Around and around she went, and then trailed a few loops up Marisa's body, around her hips and belly, her chest, her neck, and finally her eyes before stuffing the remaining length in her mouth. The cloth tasted like Reimu's flowery soap and sweat, and her nostrils were filled with her friend's scent.

Her thoughts of confessing sank rapidly beneath her lust as Reimu's hand went back to stroking her, sliding the loops of cloth up and down her member, slowly, agonizingly. The hot friction of the cloth felt strange, but good, and had Marisa twitching and moaning into the balled sarashi in her mouth. It quickly soaked through, since she was mashing her tongue against it. Spittle oozed down the edges of her mouth and chin as she writhed in Reimu's grasp, but she didn't care. With her eyes covered and her senses filled with nothing but pleasure and the sweet smell of the one she loved, she felt like she was wrapped in pure bliss.

When Reimu's hand receded suddenly, the witch's quivering legs gave out. She had been standing nearly on tip-toe, hips thrust forward and body shaking. Her knees hit the floor with a resounding thump, and she found she was holding her hands behind her back. Just a few loops of cloth was all it took to bring out her submissive side. Less even. For Patchouli it had taken a single sentence.

Belatedly, she realized she had a sliver of vision, giving her a view of Reimu pulling off her top. The shrine maiden's disjointed sleeves came with it. She got to watch for the second time that day as Reimu unwound her sarashi, but this time the miko didn't cover herself. Instead she pushed her chest against Marisa's, tugging the loose strip back into place. “Ah, ah, no peeking,” she said as Marisa's world grew dark once again.

Marisa started to mumble in protest but Reimu's hand back between her legs changed her mind.

“You're shaking so much,” Reimu said quietly. Her larger breasts were pressed against the petite thief's flat chest as her hand began to work faster. “Does it feel that good?”

Marisa nodded, though her vocal assent came out as nothing but muffled grunts and moans.

“I never really noticed before,” Reimu went on. “How cute you were. Maybe because you were always making me fight you or eating all my food. But now that I realize it, I want to be near you. When I imagine the shrine without you in it, I feel...hollow somehow. Like you're as much a part of the place as the roof, or the kitchen, or—or...” Reimu nuzzled into Marisa's shoulder, her hair tickling the bound girl's neck and chest. “I'm glad you kissed me. I'm glad you were there for me, even though I acted like I didn't care. And I— I hope this can count towards repaying the favor.”

Marisa desperately wanted to uncover her eyes and look into Reimu's. She wanted to say that Reimu didn't owe her a thing, that she'd been there all this time because she wanted to be. Her body was overflowing with ecstasy, her mind still struggling to come to grips with being able to share at least some of her feelings with the one she loved. Even more urgent was the immense orgasm building slowly but surely against Reimu's soft, slow ministrations, the sheer closeness of her friend pushing her closer to the edge as much as the hand on her cock. Even the ticklish caress of Reimu's hair took on a sexually satisfying sensation, and proved to be the catalyst for her release.

Her breathing escalated to rapid panting and her back arched sharply as orgasm finally washed over her, fireworks going off in her lower half. “Reimu! I love you, Reimu! IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou!” Reimu gasped in surprise, but didn't pull away. Marisa felt Reimu's hands recede as she trembled and cried out her confession, her cock twitching and clenching as searing cum erupted from its tip in what felt like an endless stream.

And then it was over and she was on her back, chest heaving, still shrouded in darkness. Reimu straddled her to pull the bandages away from her eyes and out of her mouth, granting her a slightly blurry view of her friend smiling down at her with a wide, toothy grin that had just a hint of dirtiness to it. They were both splattered with cum. Fat white streaks of it were flung haphazardly across Reimu's skirts, darkening the red cloth where it had started to soak in, and her own upper thighs sported nearly as much.

“Can you even see straight right now?” Reimu asked, indifferent to the fluids spattered across her.

“If you're actually smilin' right now, then yeah.” Marisa was almost afraid to contemplate what had brought Reimu to allow something like this to happen.

“I certainly am,” Reimu replied, poking at her friend's belly. “It feels good, knowing I could make you feel good.” She screwed up her face, and then laughed. “If that makes sense. And I'd guess you felt really good. You got pretty loud, even with your mouth full.”

“Huh?!” Reimu laughed again before standing up. She tried to pull Marisa up with her, but the witch could barely even sit she ended up being so dizzy. She had to close her eyes to keep the room from spinning. “H-hold on a sec.” She could have sworn she was shouting I love you as loud as she could. Her face flushed with embarrassment, not because she would have been screaming her confession in the throes of orgasmic bliss, but because she thought she had been and Reimu couldn't even understand her.

“Well, I need a bath,” Reimu said. It was much more cheerful than the last time she said it. “C'mon.” She gave another tug on Marisa's arm.

“Huh?” Marisa looked up with wide eyes, butterflies suddenly swarming her stomach. “Y'mean, like, together?”

“Why not? Don't tell me you're embarrassed. Especially after what we just did.” She pointed at Marisa's slick thighs with a short laugh. “As long as you promise not to jump me when my skirts come off, I think it'll be alright.”

Marisa stood up so fast she got lightheaded. “O-okay,” she managed as she followed her friend into the bathroom. She closed the door behind them and began to untangle herself from Reimu's makeshift bonds. She was still a little dizzy, and her excitement was making her whole body feel light as a feather. “Hey, Reimu.”

“Hm?” Reimu was just about to turn the water on, but she turned at the sound of her friend's voice. Her eyes went wide when Marisa covered the miko's mouth with her own. “H-hey,” Reimu tried to protest but her eyes fluttered closed, and she returned the kiss when Marisa pressed their lips together again.

Marisa was in heaven, had transcended happiness, and now that she was free of her pilfered bonds her hands went to work, sliding from Reimu's hips and up her midsection. Their tongues met between their open mouths as she squeezed her friend's shapely breasts, amazed that just a long strip of white cloth made her body nearly androgynous.

“M-Marisa,” Reimu whimpered, shuddering as the witch ran her thumbs over the miko's nipples.

She wanted badly to confess, but she just couldn't stop. It seemed Reimu's sarashi had more power than just hiding her breasts. They had quelled the usually brash witch's urges, made her content to be bound and fondled, but now she couldn't keep her hands to herself if she tried. Reimu said her name again as Marisa slipped her friend's skirts off and got a hand between her legs.

“W-wait!” Marisa smothered the shrine maiden's protests with her mouth again. Reimu moaned even as they kissed, and she was so wet. Marisa was riding on non-stop surges of elation as her friend wriggled against her, twitching and moaning.

But when she got Reimu's bloomers down partway, the shrine maiden pushed her back. “H-hold on,” she stuttered. She was breathing hard, her eyes locked on Marisa's penis. Marisa was fully erect, the tip of her dick smearing precum across Reimu's thigh.

She wanted to apologize, at first, but instead she blurted, “I can't.” Reimu still didn't know just how long she'd been holding on, waiting, wishing. “But I get it, I think. You're a shrine maiden and all that. Well, a shrine somethin', but maybe maiden ain't quite the right word anymore.” Reimu huffed, but Marisa gave her friend a reassuring peck on the lips before gently squeezing her hips and turning her around.

“What are you...?” She didn't resist, trailing off when Marisa nibbled at her shoulder.

“I wanna find your weak spots,” Marisa teased. She slid her tongue up Reimu's neck and bit down lightly, circling her arms around her friend's front to cup her breasts. They were soft and warm, filling her hands easily, nipples stiff and just begging to be pinched.

Reimu threw a nervous glance over her shoulder as Marisa slid her hands downward and knelt behind her. The tiles were rough on Marisa's knees, and she could still feel the spots where she'd skinned them when Ran had bent herself over Reimu's tub for her.

“Wait! T-that's my—!”

“This spot ain't pure no matter who you are.” Marisa palmed Reimu's ass, spreading it to reveal slick thighs, a drooling slit, and an immaculate pink pucker.

“I c-can't believe you,” Reimu said, though she made no move to stop her eager friend.

Marisa wasted no time running her tongue in slow circles around Reimu's anus, relishing the feel of it tighten at her touch. She also pushed her thumb against the miko's dripping sex, rubbing at her smooth, wet outer lips. Marisa was practically getting off just hearing her friend moan, especially when her name came out, her chest swelling as Reimu stuck her ass out and reached back to tangle her fingers in the witch's hair.

When Marisa slipped her tongue inside, Reimu let out a loud, lascivious groan. For some reason it made her face heat up, but she didn't slow down for even a second. She started adding little brushes against Reimu's clit as she tongued her best friend's ass, her own sexual organs tingling with desire.

“H-how can this feel so good?” Reimu looked behind her, mouth hanging open and eyes glazed over with lust. Marisa smiled around her extended tongue before pushing it deeper into her friend, making Reimu's head snap back around and her back arch. The miko's voice was growing in pitch and intensity, and Marisa felt fingers slide down against her hand. Reimu began to rub her clit, pushing Marisa aside in her fervor. “I-I'm gonna cum!” She wailed, somehow sounding both incredulous and insanely aroused.

Marisa felt her heart jump in her chest at Reimu's exclamation, and gripped her friend's rear with both hands to spread it wide. She thrashed her tongue furiously as Reimu's self-pleasuring became an audible squishing sound. Then the shrine maiden was squealing, her ass clamping down so tight Marisa's tongue was forced out. The witch braced her hands against her friend's trembling thighs to support her, staring unashamedly as she shook, her pussy oozing thick, sticky lines.

Then she was falling, and Marisa yelped when Reimu ended up sitting on her. She couldn't help but laugh, beyond ecstatic at being able to pleasure the girl she loved.

Reimu was still shivering with aftershocks, but she threw a bashful smile over her shoulder. “S-sorry,” she stuttered, sliding off of Marisa to plop on her butt next to her. She left a smear of her juices across Marisa's chest, which only served to make the rock-hard magician's cock painfully stiff. “That was incredible,” she said, closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. “I feel kinda gross, but still.” Her grin was adorable, as was the way her hair clung to her face and her forehead, her breasts bouncing lightly as she breathed deep and smiled at Marisa.

On impulse, as with so many of her decisions lately, Marisa sat up and grabbed her friend's wrist, guiding the hand that Reimu had soaked with her own fluids to her dick. “Please.” The tingling, almost buzzing sensation between her legs had spread to both her male and female halves, but it was burning more urgently in the former.

Reimu's eyes instantly lit up. “But you already got yours,” the shrine maiden replied, slow and sultry. She squeezed Marisa's cock lightly around the base and slid her hand upward, painfully slowly. “Though you did such a good job, it might just be fair.” Back down it went, slick with her juices and now Marisa's precum.

Marisa had already tried going the I won't beg route, but Patchy had maneuvered her into doing just that. So instead she gave in. “P-please,” she said again, pouting a little. “It hurts.”

It wasn't untrue, and the pout was just a bit of theatrics, but Reimu's reaction was completely unexpected. Her jaw went slack, her eyes went wide, and her face went red up to her ears. She chewed her bottom lip for just a moment and leaned forward, adding her other hand to Marisa's swollen prick. The witch let out a girly squeak, and noticed Reimu's breath starting to come faster. Her hands started to move faster as well, pumping up and down and making her breasts jiggle. In less than a minute Marisa was spurting again, thick ropes of cum being wrung from her by Reimu's slick, slightly clumsy grip. She practically coated her friend's hands, and added a few new streaks to her thighs and belly before her spasming cock finally settled.

“Wow,” was all Reimu had to say. She lifted her hands to look at the gooey coating they'd received, watching as thick lines of her friend's cum dangled from between her fingers and off the tips. Then she made a face and stuck her tongue out . “Bleh.” She rapidly turned the hot water knob on the bathtub and thrust her hands under the resulting spray. “I-it's not coming off. What's with this stuff?”

“It's magic,” Marisa replied, feeling a smirk come to her lips. For a second she almost believed it. Ran had swallowed it after forcing Marisa to taste it, and turned almost submissive. Patchy had swallowed some too, and somehow been able to breathe just fine. It made a queer kind of sense, but she wouldn't be able to test it on Reimu. The thick white strands were finally slipping off her hands while she looked on with an expression of mild disgust mixed with fascination.

“How useless, to make it this sticky,” Reimu replied. She wiped the handle she'd smeared and then plugged the drain when the last of Marisa's ejaculate had swirled down into it. “Get in, so we don't overflow it.” She sat back under the running water, sighing as it cascaded down her front.

“It does other stuff too,” Marisa insisted as she sat across from her friend. Not even a whole day ago, Yukari's voluptuous, fat-cocked shikigami was sitting where Reimu was right now, spitting venom and looking adorable in equal parts. “But you gotta eat it. I think.”

Reimu's face grew worried as one eyebrow arched. “And just how would you know that?”

“W-well how do you think?” Marisa said, trying to sound confident. Her attempt at being evasive left her wide open instead.

“I can really only think of two ways. Either you tried it yourself or someone else did.” Reimu cocked her head with a strange smile. “I can't help but feel like it's both. Now that I think about it, just what did you and Patchouli “talk” about?”

“W-we, y'know— I already t-told you, I just apologized a lot and—”

“Her bedsheets were gone, Marisa! And I caught you kissing. You can't expect me to believe the two of you went off to her room together just so you could say sorry.” She reached up and shut the water off, sinking a little lower into the tub. “Ahh, that feels nice. Come to think of it, what do you and Alice talk about? You seem to spend quite a bit of time with her as well.”

“I spend a lotta time here, too! Whaddaya think they think?” Marisa was actually proud of her comeback for a second, until Reimu laughed at her.

“Well now they'd be right, wouldn't they?” She laughed again when Marisa's face went red.

“I— I like you the most,” Marisa muttered, staring down into the faintly rippling water. Her mouth was running faster than her mind again. “I love you, Reimu.” When she looked up she saw Reimu's smile frozen on her face, her eyes darting back and forth between Marisa's own. Her inescapable guilt overwhelmed her then, a sudden feeling of owing Reimu the truth as some sort of payment for the burden of her confession convincing her it was the right thing to do.

Everything just poured out of her then. She told Reimu about her encounter with Patchouli first, from when the shrine maiden took her leave to when she'd come knocking at Patchy's door. Then she doubled back and detailed her mishap with the shapeshifting spell, and ended up spilling her guts about her lonely nights and what was going on in her head throughout. She even confessed to molesting Ran, and the beast youkai's unexpected reaction, right down to Yukari dropping that squishy toy on them. That was her only mention of Yukari, however. She managed to resist in light of the possibility that her feelings might be trivialized by admitting she was on a quest to copulate with as many people as she could.

“I know it's gonna be hard to believe, but I really do love you.” She finished, realizing she was staring down again. She felt the need to reiterate that after admitting to betraying those feelings twice now.

“You don't need to look so worried.” Reimu's voice snapped Marisa back to the present. She was relieved to see her friend still smiling. “I believe you when you say you love me. It makes me really happy, too.”

“...But?” She didn't have to say it. Marisa could hear it just as easily as if she had. Her stomach knotted up and her chest tightened as she braced herself for the possibility of rejection.

“But I don't— no, I can't. I can't say I love you back, Marisa. I wasn't lying when I said you were special to me. I really can't imagine the shrine, or even Gensokyo without you in it. But I don't know if I— if I love you.”

Marisa's face split in a huge grin, and she slid across the tub to squeeze Reimu in an awkward hug. Their legs tangled up as Marisa pulled her friend close, Reimu going from confused to worried. “Hey, you're squishing me! L-let go!” Instead, Marisa kissed her, once, twice, and then again on the cheek when she started to try to wriggle free.

Marisa was fit to burst. She hadn't really thought about what she would do if she got rejected, but this wasn't really rejection, right? Reimu had said that Marisa was special to her, which was almost exactly how Marisa felt about her, in principal at least. It meant the possibility was there. It meant Reimu could love her back.

“I-I'm glad you're happy but—mmf! But— mm!” Marisa couldn't stop kissing her friend, the sight of her, the smell of her, the feel of her driving her crazy when coupled with the happiness rushing through her. But when her hand found one of the miko's breasts, Reimu got rough.

“Ow, ow, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” Reimu bent her delirious friend's wrist back at a frightful angle, making the witch plead unashamedly. “I'm just so happy! Ouch!”

“Get a grip! I'm glad you're happy, but think about me here!”

“I'm always thinkin' about you!”

“I'm lost, trying to cope with all these unknown emotions! And here you are telling me you love me! It's like being struck by lightning for my brain!”

“I love you! Owww!” Reimu snarled, and Marisa darted in for another kiss despite her hand feeling like it would come off. Reimu tried to dodge and ended up slipping, her head dunking under the water. Marisa burst into laughter and pulled Reimu up, nuzzling against her friend as she gasped.

“I hate you!” Marisa couldn't stop laughing, even when Reimu squeezed her cheek and pulled. In a huff Reimu got out of the tub, crossing her arms and refusing to look at her laughing lover.

“If this is what it's like when ya hate me, I can't wait for you to fall in love with me.” Marisa got out as well, pulling the plug as she did so. The water began to drain away as she wrapped her arms around Reimu from behind. “I didn't know you felt like you were lost, Reimu. I've been here for you all this time, right? Even when it felt like you really might hate me. That won't ever change, okay? I'll always be here for you. No matter what you decide.” A little part of her wondered just what had caused these “new emotions” to spring up within her best friend, and what the previously indifferent and aloof shrine maiden considered new. Probably anything related to caring about another living thing beyond their ability to cook.

When Reimu didn't respond, Marisa got a little worried. She was about to say something else, but Reimu turned in her wet embrace, letting the witch hold her with her head on her friend's shoulder. She had neglected to take her bow and hair ornaments out before they got in the bath, and they were sopping wet now. Marisa undid the bow, and slipped the little red and white bands off as well. “You forgot the towels,” she said quietly, stroking Reimu's head.

“I know,” Reimu replied. She stood straight, and looked at Marisa. Were her eyes a little puffy? Or was it just the bath water? “Go get some from the closet,” she said, but she slipped her arms around Marisa's body and leaned on her again.

“You're too damn cute.”

“Huh?” Marisa's male half had started to wake up. It brushed against Reimu's thigh as she stepped back. “Never mind, I'll get them. Never! Mind, I said!” She slapped at Marisa's arms when the rapidly hardening witch tried to keep a hold on her. “Don't think you can just come here and mess around all the time!” She hurried out of the bathroom and padded down the hallway, her footsteps making a wet slapping noise on the hardwood with Marisa's giddy laughter on her heels.

Marisa peeked around the corner, deciding not to follow so there would be less water on the hardwood. It was kind of a big deal that she forced Reimu to actually trail bathwater through her house, but the shrine maiden was already on her way back, scooting along on a towel to soak up the thin trail she'd left.

“Here,” she said, trying to look annoyed as she handed Marisa a towel, but Marisa felt like she could sense her friend was in a good mood.

“Sorry.” Her apology felt weak, mostly because she was still wearing a big grin.

“It's fine,” Reimu replied. She let out a short sigh. “I meant what I said though!” She whirled on Marisa with a scowl on her face and a fist on her hip. “You can't just come over here and mess with me all the time!”

“You mean I can sometimes, then?” Marisa's belly did a flip at the thought of Reimu being a willing partner. Her friend blushed adorably, looking at the floor between the two of them.

“Well, I don't see why not. E-every now and again.” She huffed suddenly, going back on the offensive. “But you're already over here every day! Knowing you, you'll just show up and get all touchy-feely without a second thought. I'm the Hakurei shrine maiden. I can't get caught doing stuff like— like what we just did.” She smirked, looking at the floor again. “I can't believe this. It's still so surreal.”

“I'm here for ya, whatever you need, okay?”

“Don't think I don't know what that means.”

“I just wanna be helpful!”

“Well you can start by helping someone else. Give Patchouli her books back first.”

“Aw, that's gonna take forever! Can I visit you between trips?”

“No!” Reimu exited the bathroom, and Marisa followed close. “Patchouli told me to remind you, so we both have to follow through now.” She went out to the front room and started getting dressed. Marisa followed in this as well.

“I hate to admit it but that makes sense,” Marisa said as she tugged on her panties. “How many can I keep? I get to keep some right?”

“Hmm.” Reimu contemplated as she wound her sarashi. “Three should be enough, right?”

“Ah! That's not nearly enough!” Marisa presently had more than ten times that, though most of them had been with her for quite a while. “I was thinkin' like, ten!”

“Five, then. If you screw this up again, I'm not going to help you fix it a second time.”

“Fine, fine. Five is okay.” By now they were fully dressed, and Reimu recovered the forgotten basket of sandwiches from where she'd dropped it. She also slid the shrine's big front door open to reveal nighttime instead of the dying light of dusk like Marisa expected.

“Here. I suppose I can share.”

“Hey, thanks.”

They sat at Reimu's little table and ate in relative silence, the shrine maiden herself seemingly lost in thought. Marisa was unbearably curious about the changes her friend was going through, but thought it best not to pry. If Reimu wanted to share, she would. Marisa was just glad that their relationship had finally advanced.

“Hey,” Reimu suddenly asked. The basket had been empty for some time, and Marisa was close to giving in to the little part of her that wanted to see her home again. “You've— been with Ran and Patchouli.”

“Ah, y-yeah.” Marisa's cheeks lit up, so fast she could feel the heat.

“What's it like? Being that close to someone?” Reimu seemed genuinely interested, and if she was bothered by Marisa's previous experience, she hid it well.

“Huh? Well, it feels good I guess.” Marisa hadn't really thought about it. “I could show ya, y'know.” She was being cheeky, but to her surprise, Reimu nodded.

“You could, couldn't you? Is it that hard to explain?” Reimu cocked her head with a thoughtful scowl. Maybe everything really was new to her.

“I can't really think of how to describe it. It's like for just a little bit you lose yourself in someone else. I dunno what it's like for Ran or Patchy, but for me it's lettin' go and— well, somethin' like that.”

“That just sounds strange to me. But you're a strange person.” Reimu laughed lightly, and then went back to being thoughtful. “I've got a bit of a secret, too,” she went on, suddenly avoiding Marisa's eyes. “This isn't the first time I've done something like this.”

“Huh?! No way!” The shock Marisa felt was shot through with jealousy, and she didn't even know anything yet. “Y-you mean by yourself right?” Reimu remained silent for a moment, and then shook her head. Marisa couldn't help but laugh. “That's definitely a surprise. So uh...who?”

Reimu chewed her lower lip and glanced nervously at Marisa before her eyes skittered away again. If Marisa weren't so nervous her friend would look adorable right now. “Um. Yukari.”

“Yukari, huh? You both are linked up to the barrier. I wonder if that's got somethin' to do with it.” Marisa already knew better. She already knew the barrier was in tatters, and was still amazed Reimu somehow didn't.

“I really don't know,” Reimu replied with a sigh. She finally looked Marisa in the eyes. “One day she just up and confessed, with even less warning than you gave. I felt so strange when I heard those words for the first time. Then she kissed me and one thing led to another. Hearing you say them again wasn't any less jarring, but since we messed around beforehand I think I handled it a little better.”

“Breakin' my wrist is handlin' it better? I really shook you up, huh? We did.” Marisa laughed, surprised she was so calm. Yukari had confessed to Reimu already, but set Marisa up to do the same. What was she thinking? Did she just want competition?

Suddenly, all the power shifted. Yukari didn't have anything on her anymore. It was all up to Reimu in the end. If Reimu decided to choose. That was a weight off Marisa's shoulders, but there was still the issue of the barrier. Just because Yukari lost her advantage didn't mean the problem was solved. Marisa would still have to go out and look for willing partners, and thus keep being unfaithful, to herself if not quite to Reimu.

“Yeah. S-sorry.”

“Geeze, stop bein' so adorable. It makes me feel like I did somethin' wrong.” That put a smile on Reimu's face. The shrine maiden got to her feet and went around the table.

“I've got some serious thinking to do.” She helped Marisa stand, and pulled her into a hug. “And you've got a lot of work to do, too. It means a lot to me, what you said. I really feel like I can count on you for anything, no matter what.” She laughed a little. “Actually it's more like I feel as if I need to rely on someone for once, but you're still the best I've got. I'll be honest, I like Yukari a lot too.” She pulled back to look Marisa in the eyes. “You wouldn't hate me if— if it just so happens I—”

“Of course not, Reimu. I could never hate you.” She smiled wide, hoping she could comfort her friend. “Can't say I'd be happy about it, but...don't tell me you already picked her?!”

“No, no, no! Ahh!” Reimu let out an exasperated breath. Marisa had only been half teasing. Now she patted Reimu's head, understanding the predicament she was in. A situation in which someone has to be left out in the cold. “How am I gonna figure this out?”

“Just don't worry about it. It's your feelin's right? So wait to see how ya feel. Thinkin' ain't gonna help.” It would be pretty hard not to think about it since there wasn't much else to do when an incident wasn't going on. Though, now she had other methods to take Reimu's mind off of things.

“I guess you're right,” Reimu whined. “It all just feel so—”

“Ah! No thinkin'!”

“Okay, okay!” Marisa was taken aback when her friend planted a quick kiss on her lips. “I really do want you to stay but you've got important business to take care of.”

“Aw, alright.” They embraced one last time before Marisa stepped out onto the veranda and tugged her shoes on. “Hey.” She mounted her broom and glanced over her shoulder to see Reimu watching. “Fall in love with me okay?” She didn't wait for an answer. She started her takeoff dash down the steps and kicked off, soaring through the sky and leaving a trail of giddy laughter in her wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to all you patient readers out there. As always, I need to thank everyone who's stuck through this far. Are you used to the long waits? Was it worth it? I really do hope so. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and feelings with me, and thanks again!


	6. Bound and Determined

V: Bound and Determined

Marisa's house was nothing short of chaotic. Not even the sort of organized chaos some people are able to make a lifestyle out of. No, this was utter chaos, to the point that not even the owner and proprietor of the Kirisame magic "shop" knew just exactly what was on the inventory list. One of many reasons being that there was no inventory list. What was supposed to be a sort of den acted as a storefront, her wares being offered in jumbled piles across tables or on the floor with no particular order to them other than new stuff on top, old stuff on bottom. The room was fairly large, and took up much of her floor space, yet still the tangle managed to creep out to the front of her home; things too large, or too dangerous to be kept indoors, as well as items that might catch attention, though just whose attention was not something she considered.

Her living quarters fared a little better. A bedroom tucked away in the back of the house sported a small bed, a bookshelf, something to keep clothes in, something to keep other things in, and a place to sit and read and write. The only other rooms were very small and immediately adjacent to her bedroom, those being a bathroom and her workshop. The bathroom lacked the amenities of the shrine—though her house hadn't been leveled like the shrine had—but magic mostly made up for it. The workshop existed in a state that might be considered organized, if only for the sake of convenience, but still managed to be a far cry from well kempt.

The bookshelf contained most of her books, neatly lined up in no particular order, and had been occupying the bulk of Marisa's attention since she'd awoken. There had been nearly a hundred books in total, completely filling the shelves up including the very top, with some minor spillage stacked nearby. She'd pulled every single one of them down and organized them into three categories: Alice's, Patchy's, and “probably mine”. Those that she decided were hers she lined back up on the now-barren shelves after giving everything a much needed dusting. She'd decided to make good on her debt to Patchouli sooner rather than later, and it didn't make sense not to do the same for Alice as well. All she needed now was something to carry all of it in. Preferably several somethings, as Patchy's books were of a vast majority compared to Alice's and her own. The whole endeavor had been fairly simple so far. The only distractions she'd encountered were the occasional intrusive thought that urged her to visit Reimu with some booze, and a slightly nostalgic, and also slightly anxious leaf-through of the root of all her recent problems.

The layout of the grimoire that housed the spell she'd mucked up changed every time she opened it, and sometimes even its physical appearance. It seemed to be one of those powerful magical tomes that took on aspects of the magic it contained; sometimes it was made of leathery hides, the stitching holding them together looking like sewn-up mouths. Sometimes it was soft and supple in a disturbing and familiar pinkish color. Sometimes it had eyes of all varieties sprouting from an otherwise average-looking book. Every transformation she'd seen attempted to mimic something organic. Today, it had one big orange eye that didn't blink, staring at her as she went about her business. Even when she dusted it off, the eye remained fixed on her, open wide. The rudimentary consciousness imparted to the book by the penning magician's strong will—and yet stronger magic—seemed to have approximated loneliness. It widened when she got closer and squinted slightly if she moved away or ignored it. Eventually she sighed and sat down with it at her desk, the orange orb practically vibrating in its shallow socket. Why didn't it just grow a mouth and talk?

“Up we go.” The thing was huge. It took some strength to heft and she had to temporarily clear her whole desk to make room for it. As she turned the pages, the initially fist-sized eye would pop up in miniature and glance downward, as if it were reading itself. Marisa decided not to magically translate any of it, instead leisurely turning the pages and absorbing the unreadable script. It was probably written in a specially developed shorthand, the characters an ugly mix of sharp and round at the same time. She thought she could recognize a few of them after a while, and maybe even guess a few words. Before she could get carried away, though, she stood up and bid her silent, spherical companion goodbye. It widened in response to the top cover coming down over it, disappearing only to reappear at a deeper page. It propped itself open and rolled to look at Marisa almost pleadingly, half mushed beneath the weight of the pages on top of it.

Marisa gave a short sigh and un-squished the eye. “Alright, alright, whaddaya got?” Again the orb seemed to shiver with excitement as Marisa opened to the designated page. “Huh? What's all this?” What she saw, amongst the many crabbed, unintelligible symbols, were depictions of parts of human anatomy that she'd become very familiar with in the recent weeks. Her face grew redder and redder as she imagined what the notations swarming the obscene imagery could mean. How they functioned, how they related, how they interacted. Her spherical companion began to swell and twitch, and a new color was seeping into the orange like blood in water.

With a grunt of effort Marisa slammed the book shut, panting and red-faced. She stared at the book dazedly, only coming back to herself when she registered a thick orange fluid oozing from between the pages. “Oops...” The fluid webbed thickly between the pages when she tried to open it back up to the same spot. “I can't take you back to Patchy like this,” Marisa groaned. “Well, she can wait just a little longer right? I'll figure out how to clean ya real good when I get back, I promise!”

Yet another source of guilt now buzzed at the back of her mind as she gathered up suitable containers, finding two satchels and a good sized backpack. Well, at least this whole endeavor would help alleviate some of that guilt, too. She stuffed the packs as full as she dared, the fact that she could still manage to walk with all of them hanging off of her only an afterthought. When she found she could indeed move even loaded down as she was, she snatched up her broom and hobbled outside. Taking off was a challenge, but soon she was zipping off toward the Scarlet Devil Manor, weighted down with at least a half-ton of paper that was only a fraction of just Patchy's haul. The flight was still pretty quick, but keeping that much weight up in the air slowed her down and tired her out.

After what felt like an age she touched down outside the manor's gates, huffing and puffing, and staggered toward the ever-slumbering gate guard. “Meiling.” Marisa slumped up against the wall next to the sleeping sentry and poked at her. No response. “Meiling! CHINA!” This time she gave the napping youkai's arm a weak slap. Nothing. After a few more labored breaths, Marisa straightened up and glanced around. It was a quiet, warm, peaceful day. There was a curvy, yet athletic youkai right in front of her, completely unaware of her presence. “Hey, if you don't wake up...” Marisa slowly extended her arm until her outstretched finger sunk into Meiling's breast. “You really are—”

“H-huh?” Meiling suddenly snapped awake, her hand flying out and snatching Marisa's broom away. “Marisa! Where's your hat?” She leaned the broom against the wall after giving it a puzzled glance.

“N-n-not here, okay? Help me out already!” Marisa had been so startled she'd nearly fallen over, but her finger retained the heavenly feeling of Meiling's soft bosom.

“R-right!” Meiling tried lifting the backpack off Marisa's back, but picked the smaller witch up with it.

“Ow, hey! What the hell're you—agh!” Marisa was suddenly being shaken, the world becoming a blur before she hit the ground. She laid there, blinking up at a smiling Meiling, who now had the pack slung across a shoulder.

“Sorry, I'm still a little sleepy,” Meiling said, blushing lightly. “B-but, it's nice to see you again so soon!” As cheery as ever as she hauled the witch upright by the collar.

“Uh, you too.” Marisa dusted herself off and picked up a fallen bag. “Here, I got more.” She passed the other two bags to China and together they approached the mansion. Just as the day before, the front doors opened on their own as they drew near.

“Miss Kirisame,” Sakuya greeted the witch with a smile that was arguably a modicum warmer than the previous day's. “I wouldn't have expected to see you again so soon. Without the sound of shattering glass or explosions, I imagine every visit of yours will be a surprise.”

“I'm here to see Patchy. I know the way.” She definitely deserved the jeer, but when she tried to step through the doorway Sakuya stopped her.

“I'm afraid Patchouli isn't accepting visitors.”

“Huh?”

“I take it these are her belongings?”

“Yep!” Meiling chimed in, a stark contrast to Sakuya's stone-cold propriety.

“I cannot grant you entrance, but I can assure you they will reach her.” At that Sakuya disappeared, along with all the books. Meiling stood still, arms outstretched.

“Wait, what about my—ah.” A heartbeat later the emptied bags were hanging from China's arms.

“You get used to it,” the gate guard offered, patting Marisa's head. Sakuya stifled a laugh, a polite cough into her gloved hand.

“I've got some more so keep an eye out for me. Some big ones, too.”

The next two trips left Marisa exhausted, but her conscience felt as light as her body did once the final load had been dropped off, even when she considered the oozing grimoire on her desk. Only the backpack was needed for the third run, with one of the larger tomes in her arms. Each time, Meiling did the heavy lifting to the door and each time the bags were whisked away and returned empty in a matter of seconds. Time manipulation was nuts. “I wish I could do that,” Marisa muttered, mostly to herself, as she and the plucky sentry headed back toward the gates.

“Not me!” Meiling replied, shaking her head. “Just imagine all the extra time you get! You'd get so bored! I don't know how Sakuya does it. She's just a normal human like you.”

“Think about it! She's gotta clean that whole mansion! Workin' for Remi must have some real nice perks. Or she just really loves it. How long has she been Remilia's maid? Wait, just how old is Sakuya?” Meiling leaned against the wall with her leg up. It looked comfy on a nice day like this so Marisa did the same. China gave her an appraising look but didn't seem to mind. “She's tall, polite, elegant, kinda cold, but she doesn't really look like an adult I guess?”

“No idea.” Was the guard's nonchalant reply. “I feel like she's not much older than you, though. How old are you?”

“Uhh let's see. I'm uh...” How long had she been in the forest? Some years for certain, but just how many? Six, eight? Even if it had only been two, it felt like she'd been there her whole life. It didn't help that she stopped bothering with birthday celebrations. “I'll get back to you on that one. Anyway, how's all that time stuff work? Does she even age?”

“Um,” Meiling began, before failing to stifle a colossal yawn, “I think you'd be better off asking Sakuya. I just guard the gate.” She patted Marisa on the head again. “You're making me sleepy.”

“Would you quit it?” The shorter witch waved the sentry's hand away. “What's the deal with Patchy? Why doesn't she want to see me?” The taciturn witch hadn't even forwarded a single word through her maid.

“Hmm...” Meiling eyed Marisa with a slight tilt to her head, her expression open but unreadable. “I don't think it's just you. She feels... I feel... hmph.” The youkai closed her eyes, face turned up to the sky. “She's going crazy right now. Not like, actually crazy, but she's been really worked up. And she hasn't been quite so melancholy lately. I'm happy you came back so soon. She'll want to see you again, I know it. Um, just not right now.”

“I hope so,” Marisa muttered, staring at the dirty scuffs on her shoes. “I feel kinda bad for what I did.”

“Don't,” Meiling rested her hand on Marisa's head. “What you said, what you did, what the two of you did together,” she giggled here, tousling the witch's hair, “it was sincere and honest and mutual. I can tell you care about Patchouli a lot. That's all she needs.”

“Geeze, I didn't ask for a speech,” Marisa retorted. She lifted a hand to swat at Meiling but found herself weakly gripping the youkai's wrist, eyes starting to sting a little. “Thanks Meiling. I'll come back soon. Not just for books.”

“I believe you.” Meiling pulled Marisa into a tight hug, and then the witch took off for home.

She had done something good. She had done something good for Patchouli, and for herself. It was fine that things worked out that way, wasn't it? There didn't always have to be a downside. In that light, being Yukari's plaything was almost positive. Marisa had been able to open up to suppressed feelings and even share them with others, in more ways than one. So far, nothing bad had happened. She'd made Patchy happy, somehow. And Ran didn't seem any worse off than before the lust-addled witch had molested her. They'd even agreed to be friends, though what that entailed Marisa could only imagine. And of course Yukari was getting her kicks somewhere in the middle of it all.

Reimu, on the other hand, was a more complicated situation. How did the usually unfeeling shrine maiden feel about what happened between them? She had seemed okay afterwards, but what was all that talk about unfamiliar emotions? Suddenly Marisa felt like she knew nothing about her best friend at all. Common sense would point toward Reimu being a willing partner, or else she wouldn't have let any of that happen, right? She had taken the initiative, even! Just up and grabbed hold of Marisa's clothes, pulling them off piece by piece.

Before she knew it she was swooping down through a gap in the magic forest's dense canopy, the magically polluted, malformed trees a welcome sight. She may as well have been on the moon for all the attention she was paying to the world around her, her subconscious guiding her back home while her mind wandered. With a sigh she pushed through her front door and headed straight back to her little room, dumping the backpack with the other bags on her bed and standing her broom up against the wall.

The storefront still looked like a whirlwind hit it, but her personal quarters felt a little more roomy with the floor cleared of books and the shelving tidied up. She plopped onto the floor, back propped against the bed, thoughts swirling around her head about what she would do next. Take Alice her books was the obvious answer, but she was in no great hurry to go lugging books around again even for just a short trip. Patchy's were done and that counted for a lot. She experienced a moment of lightheaded giddiness, a big grin spreading on her face. Alice likely didn't expect her books to come back at all. She could wait just a bit longer.

Patchy probably hadn't either. If she had any real conviction to get them back from Marisa she could have at least tried to talk to the kleptomaniacal witch about it. Had her feelings convinced her to let Marisa get away with stealing so often? Then again, could it really be considered stealing if that were the case? If Patchouli had shown up one day and insisted, Marisa would've obliged with little fuss.

Marisa sighed and closed her eyes, head tilted back against the mattress. She vaguely considered how to handle the sticky orange ruin she'd made of Patchy's grimoire, but her thoughts were dandelion puffs in a spring breeze, drifting away as quickly as they came. She was tempted to just climb right up into bed. Sleep had been in short supply for the busy witch the past couple of days, but she found she couldn't muster the energy to get off the floor. For long moments she just sat there, wispy thoughts floating around her head, until sleep claimed her.

“You haven't forgotten, have you?”

“Huh?” Marisa's eyes fluttered open, but the world was still dark. Someone's hand was caressing her face, gliding down to her neck. “What?” Had she fallen asleep? Who would just waltz into her house like that?

“Just a friendly reminder,” Yukari lilted, fingers now slipping lightly down the witch's chest.

The sound of Yukari's voice instantly brought Marisa to full awareness, a knot of apprehension twisting up in her stomach. “Why can't I move?” Her attempt to sit up was foiled by Yukari's body. The youkai was sitting on top of her, straddling her middle and feeling her up.

“Well, let's see! The last time I tried to have a chat with you, you practically assaulted me!” Yukari's voice was disgustingly sweet, her tone mocking. “I was just trying to give you a head start on your momentous task, but you spurned me. And people think I'm cruel!”

“Is that what you call tryin' to chat? And you are! What's the deal with you confessin' to Reimu before me, huh?” Yukari's previous unannounced visit was still very fresh in Marisa's mind. Depending on her mood, remembering it could get her all worked up, piss her off, depress her, a whole range of emotions she would prefer Yukari unable to evoke in her.

“As I said, it might have solved everything on the spot. It didn't matter who it was. It still doesn't.” She suddenly brought her face close to Marisa's, hot breathy whispers in the witch's ear sending shivers out across her neck and face. “Just admit it. You want me.” Marisa couldn't deny her attraction to Yukari's physical form. Even now she was squirming a little despite her efforts not to, and her magical appendage had no qualms about being honest. “It would help. I promise.”

“Okay, so I think you're hot! But you're creepy as hell! I tell ya sorry, I don't wanna fuck, and whaddaya do? You stab me! With your hand! Sure I was dreamin', but you trapped me in the first place! You're, like, I dunno, unstable or somethin'!” She could still remember what it felt like, and the wicked smile Yukari was wearing when she'd done it.

Yukari laughed and rested her forehead against Marisa's. “Do you know what it's like to have lived for as long as I have? Time passes, and you change. Sometimes you feel you have to, or even decide to for yourself, but mostly it just happens. You need something to anchor you. Gensokyo is my anchor. Do you remember what this world is, at it's core?” She let the question hang in the air, but Marisa didn't answer. With the question posed to her that way, she wasn't sure she truly knew the answer. “And if I'm to be honest,” Yukari continued, a smile showing through in her voice, “I might also get a little bored from time to time.” The youkai removed whatever had been covering Marisa's eyes. It turned out to be a little sleep mask, complete with silly-looking, half-lidded eyes on the front. Marisa snatched it from Yukari and tossed it across the room.

This time when she tried to sit up, Yukari was kind enough to allow it. The light was low, but she wasn't surprised to see she wasn't in her room. The floor was tatami, and a little round table sat in the center of the room, just like the youkai's first visit. Yukari herself was smiling her ever-present smile and wearing a long purple nightgown that pooled around her where she sat, like a silken puddle of void.

“So what's the deal then? This all 'cause'a boredom?” Marisa asked, a little afraid of the answer. She wasn't sure which would be worse. Yukari's boredom or an actual threat to the barrier. Yukari's smile faded as she thought, her eyes slowly drifting from Marisa down to her hands. She turned them over, inspecting them like they were someone else's, or freshly made.

“That's not quite it.” Yukari finally said. She spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. “What I told you that night was the truth. The barrier, however, is not sentient. It cannot decide for itself whether it is needed or not. True, if we didn't exist, the barrier wouldn't exist either, but as long as I and Reimu are both here, it will persist. For the most part. It can't just switch itself off if, say, it got bored.” Marisa's eyes went wide.

“Wait. What're you sayin'?” It was both. Yukari had gotten tired of whatever millennia-old youkai do with their time, and something was up with the barrier. “Can't you two just talk about it and get it fixed?”

“The situation is more delicate than that. You asked why I confessed to Reimu first. Her emotions have been stagnant for a long time. There's more to being a shrine maiden than exterminating unruly youkai. She complains of the shrine's kami, yet it is she who is indifferent.” Yukari sighed and shook her head. “But that's a different issue altogether. Stagnation. Therein lies our problem. Even my own efforts with Reimu were fruitless. I did as I pleased and just as with her duties as a shrine maiden, she got caught up in the flow and went through the motions. Sadly, the same seems to be happening with you. She shows exceptional adaptability, but that might just be working against us.”

“What the hell? Then what's with this contract? If all we need to do is make Reimu give a damn, how does me sleepin' around get anywhere close to makin' that happen?” Marisa was beginning to wish this was actually a dream. Just a normal dream she'd wake up from with hazy memories and vague echoes of emotion that would slough off the moment she stood up. Why, oh why did she have to go and feel up Ran! Why did she have to screw up that spell, and why did it make her grow a dick of all things! Why—no, no, no. If she kept that up she'd end up questioning why she even existed. She found herself sighing in resignation.

“Again, if it were that simple, we wouldn't be here. You should know this quite well, but magic needs fuel. Powerful magic even more so, amongst other things. Though I will admit, having you at my disposal is going a long way in helping with the boredom aspect.” At least Yukari had the decency to act embarrassed.

“So you're a pervert.”

“Like I said, you have no idea what it's like to live for as long as I have.”

“I thought you'd at least have learned some morals you voyeuristic, bondage-loving sadist.”

“At least you didn't call me old. Then I'd have to kill you again.”

“So am I off the hook?”

“Of course not! At its roots, your debt to me for using my shikigami without my permission has not been repaid. I won't even charge for—”

“Using? Y'know, she's in love with you.” As soon as the words left Marisa's mouth she knew that Yukari was already aware. How could she not be?

The youkai nodded with a soft hmm. “If your broom were to tell you it loved you one day, how would you feel?” Yukari's nonchalant tone coupled with that damn smile struck a nerve.

“She's not a thing! She's—she's a person! Sorta!” Marisa didn't know what she was expecting of Yukari. Was she just gonna say oh you're right! The love of my billion year old life has been with me all this time, how could I have been so blind! No, of course not. She could be a little nicer about it though. “And if my broom confessed I'd at least try to make it happy.” She kind of already thought of it as a living thing. She apologized when she dropped it, or asked nicely if she could sweep with it. Now that she thought about it, she realized she talked to it quite often. It never answered, of course, and indeed never seemed to care one way or another, but it just felt like the right thing to do.

“Reciprocity is not an aspect of the agreement. A shikigami is no more a sovereign being than your hat. There is a true contract behind the binding of a shikigami, quite unlike this silly little agreement I've got you in.” Marisa felt the youkai's eyes boring into the side of her head, but couldn't look up from the floor. “Do not misunderstand me. I care for Ran greatly. Love is not something that has a place in such a contract, but she is very important to me, as a tool, which is exactly what she is, and also as a person. She may not agree with me on everything, but it is not her place to question me regardless. She is not unhappy.”

“Sorry,” Marisa muttered. “It's just, that night in Reimu's tub. After we...y'know. I felt like she was...helpless I guess. She seemed sad and rejected. I thought you were treatin' her real bad or somethin'.” She remembered Ran's drooping ears, her collarbone blush and her skittish gaze.

“I imagine it's very stressful being in her position,” Yukari said with a flourish of her hand, “but again, there is an agreement between us. I don't know why I'm trying to comfort you about this. You are simply unable to understand.”

“You say that a lot. But you're right. I really don't know nothin' about what's actually goin' on. You uh, also admitted you forced me into this and it's silly.”

“Even so. You're a kleptomaniac, a liar, self-centered beyond belief, as you just proved, and you're practically still a child.” She gave the witch a condescending visual once-over. “Mentally, as well as in certain aspects of growth. I can assist at least with your mentality. The rest of you though...” Yukari tutted, her expression shifting to one of very convincing pity.

“Quit lookin' at me like that!” Marisa's hands automatically covered her unsatisfactory chest. “I ain't had like a billion years to develop like you.” Though, Reimu was pretty well developed. So was Sakuya. And Sanae had them all beat, maybe even combined. They were all human just like her. Well, at least now Marisa had something they didn't.

“Just look at your fellow humans.” Yukari seemed to read her mind, and the witch's face went red. “No need to be so depressed! There's a silver lining here! You've been doing so well lately, and making so much progress towards becoming a better human being! If I hadn't come along to help you out, things would still be the same. You'd be stealing and imposing and making everyone around you miserable!” Yukari placed a hand on Marisa's shoulder, a strangely gentle, comforting gesture after the tongue lashing. “You'll just have to take my word for it regarding Ran. She's happy with me. If you'd rather take over as my shikigami...”

“No thanks!” Marisa wasn't certain if that was a joke or not, but she did not want to pursue it. “I'll just keep doin' what I'm doin'.” She brushed Yukari's hand away. “What're we gonna do about Reimu though?”

“Hmph. We'll have to wait and see for now. She might come around to one of us. Or even better, both of us!” The youkai smiled wide, her eyes losing focus. “Wouldn't that be absolutely wonderful?” she asked dreamily.

“Uh, sure. Better'n neither. Probably.” She felt like she and Yukari would make a volatile pair. She had to apply effort to prevent herself from fantasizing about what the two of them would be like in the bedroom. Throw Reimu into it and what the hell would you get? They would both probably end up fawning over her and getting in each other's way. Marisa still wasn't sure just exactly what the issue was, though. She was still obligated to offer her “services” regardless, even if they went more towards satisfying a very powerful pervert's “needs” and not quite so much towards keeping the barrier in tact. It wouldn't fall apart just 'cause folks weren't screwing around. Right?

She still knew next to nothing. She decided that she was pretty much back to square one. The rhythm went a little something like: sit on her feelings for Reimu until she can't take it anymore; do something stupid to cope; replace something stupid with Yukari's hit list. Easy. In fact, that was pretty much how she ended up in this mess. Everything was so simple!

Marisa laughed dryly, and was about to ask another question when Yukari abruptly stood up. “You've got unfinished business at present, if I recall. Though, you could always stay a little longer with me. Time passes differently here. We could enjoy ourselves.” Yukari's expression turned playful, and she was practically giving the witch bedroom eyes.

“Huh?” Marisa caught herself looking up at Yukari's body. The dark coloring of her clothing coupled with the low light made it hard to pick out shapes. She stood there smiling down at Marisa, an inviting smile. What was Yukari's lust like? Marisa felt like it was the fourth dimension when compared to the third, wholly different yet at the same time encompassing its lesser iterations. Should she be proud that such a being was attracted to her, or at least sought her affection?

Marisa got to her feet as well, uncertainty making her hesitate. She noticed she was in a gown similar to Yukari's, though hers only went to just above her knees where Yukari's reached the floor. It was black with white trim around the collar, hem, and sleeves, matching her colors of choice when up and about. They were both barefoot, but the tatami was warm, as if it had been briefly sat upon, no matter where she stepped. It was dark in the shrine, but not so dark she was unable to see. When she flung the front door open a big, bright moon greeted her, much larger than it would be in the waking world. She felt like she could reach out and touch it. Yukari moved to stand beside her, also staring up at the giant moon. The light was so pure Marisa would've believed it if Yukari told her it had been filtering right through the shrine's walls. “I just don't know how to feel about all this. About you,” she said, turning to look at the youkai beside her. She had to crane her neck. Youkai. Not human. Just human shaped. With all the appropriate parts and then some. She wondered if Yukari had a heart in there, a real heart, not the squishy idea of the heart portrayed as the emotional brain. She wondered if there was liver and lung, stomach and intestine. If Yukari were made of the same parts, how could her whole be so much greater than a human's? Than Marisa's own?

She turned and placed her right hand between the youkai's shapely breasts. Yukari watched her, her own expression passive but for the smile that seemed never to leave her face. Marisa felt nothing under her palm besides a faint warmth, like the tatami. With her unoccupied left hand, she hooked Yukari around the neck, having to stand on tiptoe to draw the taller youkai into a kiss. She saw mirth mingle with lust in those purple orbs, just like she had seen in Ran's eyes, and Reimu's and Patchy's, too. Soon their tongues met, exploring each other's mouths, but still Marisa felt nothing beneath her palm. Soon, that didn't matter. Her knee-length gown no longer made it down to her knees, her growing erection holding the hem higher and higher up, the realization she wasn't wearing any undergarments distant and faint. Yukari pulled back first.

“So you do like me,” she said softly. Her cheeks were tinted rosy red in the pure moonlight, and her breath seemed to come a little quicker. Marisa contemplated asking about the youkai's lack of noticeable heartbeat, but decided against it. What did it matter, anyways? It wouldn't change who Yukari was and it wouldn't change how Marisa felt about her, which was definitely beyond just “like” whether she wanted to admit it or not.

“Yeah, I guess I do,” she decided to say, unable to keep a grin off her face. She was positive Yukari was seeing the same thing she was. Rosy cheeks, shining eyes, quick, shallow breaths. Oh and the raging hard-on, though that appeared to be exclusive to Marisa this time.

“I'm glad,” Yukari replied, taking a few steps back into the shrine. When she turned around, four small gaps slit the air around her. Two on each side, at her shoulders and upper thighs, hovering close enough for her to reach into. “Here. A show of good will. Not that I need to earn your trust, mind you. You just seem to be absolutely terrified of me. I wouldn't want to scare you off again.” As she spoke, thin lengths of vibrant red snaked from each portal to slide sensually across her body.

“Ya mean shove your hand through my gut again? You looked like you enjoyed it, last time.”

“I did.” The red rope began knotting itself in different places, slithering between her legs and slowly tightening. “So now we'll make it even. How does that sound? Ah!” With a jerk Yukari's legs were hoisted in the air, knees bent, the ropes binding her around thigh and shin. The youkai was moaning as they tightened further, her hands behind her back now. The slithering red lengths finally stopped moving and squeezed down on her body, her gown suddenly puffing out between the tightening bonds before bursting outward into shreds.

“What the hell?” Marisa muttered, unconsciously taking a step toward Yukari's nude, bound form. Yukari was suspended, chest heaving, her smooth flesh almost glowing in the moonlight. The rope made a little diamond around her navel before splitting and running down between her legs, another diamond between her breasts, all connected by small, tight knots down the center. The rope circled around her midsection as well, squeezing her pleasant form and presumably binding her hands and arms behind her. What really got Marisa's heart pumping, though, was where the rope went above the knot at her chest. Gently it encircled the youkai's neck, giving the impression of a collar. She could have just said take me, stripped, and bent over, and Marisa wouldn't have thought twice. Well maybe she would have, but she'd have given in anyway. Instead, though, here she was tying herself up, legs spread, eyes begging for Marisa to touch her.

“I just don't get you. How can I say no?” Marisa ran her fingertips along Yukari's inner thigh. She was so soft and squishy. Different from Ran's busty but lithe form, from Reimu's slight frame despite her chest, and from Patchouli's thin, almost frail body. She gave Yukari's belly a squeeze, her other hand finding a hot, stiff nipple to pinch, much to Yukari's audible pleasure. As she inched closer she found the youkai's hips were at the perfect height for them to couple, but she held off, instead letting her member rest against Yukari's exposed slit. There was nothing but the thin cloth of Marisa's long shirt between their sexes, and even that quickly grew hot and damp with the combined fluids leaking from the both of them as Marisa continued to toy with the youkai's bound body. She may not have the same tastes as Yukari but she couldn't deny that it was sexy as hell having a tied-up plaything. Especially one with so much to grab onto. This youkai “sage” had her mouth open, practically panting, eyes half-lidded and glazed over with lust, body aglow, tongue and lips glistening in the moonlight. She suddenly wanted very badly to kiss Yukari and leaned forward, only vaguely aware of her hands grasping Yukari's ample hips as their lips came together in a wash of hot breath.

Then Yukari was gasping into her mouth, their hips coming together completely as Marisa slipped inside of her. The youkai arched her back as best she could in her bonds as Marisa's tongue slid from her mouth down her neck, across her clavicle before finding a nipple as the witch began to slowly grind into her captive lover. She laughed lightly with Yukari's nipple between her teeth, finding it funny that her adamant denial had ultimately culminated in the youkai tying herself up with her legs spread for a “show of good will”. She looked down, between their bodies at their joined hips. She watched the shaft of her illegitimate penis slide out of Yukari's body and back in again, in and out, in and out. The youkai's inner walls pulled hungrily with each thrust, and squeezed with each backstroke as if trying to prevent Marisa from pulling away. A little voice in the back of her head noted that here Yukari also displayed human traits.

Yukari was smiling when Marisa looked backed up. The blush that came to her face then, the look of submission coupled with a loose rope collar around her neck, drove Marisa wild.

“I never would'a believed you could be this cute,” she said before mashing her lips against Yukari's. Once again their tongues entwined between their mouths, her fingers sinking deeper into Yukari's hips as she picked up her pace. “Or cute at all for that matter.” She wondered what Yukari would be doing with her hands if she weren't tied up; imagined her bucking and writhing atop a bed while Marisa thrust into her, sheets clenched in her fists as she moaned. “Fuck,” she whispered, her imagination somehow just as erotic as actually being inside Yukari.

“So vulgar,” Yukari said, her voice low and dripping with passion. “What's going through that dirty mind of yours?”

Marisa blushed hard, her pace faltering as she worked up the courage to share her thoughts. “W-we're in bed, doin' what we're doin' now. But you aren't tied up.”

“That's no fun.”

“You're blushin', lookin' off to the side as we...as I...”

“As you fuck me.”

“A-and you're squirmin' around and makin' all these cute sounds with your hands balled up, grabbin' at the sheets, and I just can't get enough of it, so I keep goin', faster and faster until—”

Yukari suddenly lets out a sharp, lascivious moan as her body shudders and shakes, and Marisa realizes she's orgasming, her eyes squeezed shut as she writhes against her restraints, her insides squeezing down so hard Marisa can barely keep moving.

The way she turns her head, the graceful curve of her neck, the muscles bunched in orgasmic tension against her vivid red binding, the light sheen of sweat on her body shining in the moonlight; all of these things combine and Marisa finds Yukari beautiful. She's haughty and just as self centered as she proclaims Marisa to be, but she is also graceful, intelligent beyond understanding, and elegant even when tied up and shivering with aftershocks. Yukari is panting, looking into Marisa's eyes as her orgasm subsides, a silent plea for more reflected in her own. Marisa's heart beats faster, a heavy, resounding rhythm against her ribs, and she finds she's stopped moving completely.

“You're perfect.”

Suddenly she's bolting upright on her floor, drenched in sweat and not at all surprised to see her member poking up against her bloomers. “I'm just a dumb horny kid,” she whispers into her now-dark room. Her body is shaking and her clothes are sticking to her skin, so she she strips them off. Again and again she sees Yukari, writhing, moaning, glistening. Her breaths come faster and faster until she's on her knees, one hand squeezing down on her throbbing cock while the other tosses her discarded dress out in front of her. It's been a little while since she's had the pleasure of pleasuring herself, but she's in such a passion she simply can't stop. The heft of her member in her hand as she strokes it is like a well-balanced knife, familiar, pleasing simply to hold. She knows all her sensitive spots; where the base melds to her body, the top of the crown above the flare, the right lobe of the glans where it meets the shaft. She wants to take her time but her dick is still buzzing with the memory of being deep inside of Yukari, her mind equally abuzz with the things she saw under that giant, illusory moon.

Not five minutes later she was cumming, grimacing and grunting in the dark and splattering her strategically placed dress with so much ejaculate it looked more white than black by the end. For minutes after her orgasm subsided her penis insisted on staying hard. “Ya like'er that much huh?” She asked it as she wiped it clean with the panties she'd stripped off. “I like'er that much.” After a few quick swipes with her panties she just flopped down on her floor, the still air filled with her deep breaths. As the endorphins drained off, more serious thoughts seeped into her brain.

Nothing was coming together. Yukari's motives were only marginally clearer. Reimu was potentially a ticking emotional time-bomb. Patchouli didn't want to see her. Alice was infatuated with her but didn't have the confidence to say anything. And she was questioning whether she'd see Ran again in any friendly capacity. What was hardest for her, though, was figuring out how she felt about all of it. It hadn't even been three whole days. Was she in shock? Was she still jarred from how quickly her life had changed? She had no doubt she'd be seeing Yukari again. Ugh. Just the thought of that damned creature set her stomach to flipping and her heart beating faster. Fortunately the image of Yukari in the throes of ecstasy had lost its edge after Marisa's little personal therapy session, but for some reason she still found herself pining for the youkai's company.

She eventually came to the same conclusion she'd reached every time she bothered contemplating her situation, which she'd spent far too much time doing over just a few days. “There's no sense in worryin' about it,” she muttered. Time was the only factor that truly mattered at this point. At least from Marisa's position at the bottom of the list. Yukari had tried to make her feel important, like she had some grand task to complete for the good of everybody, but the more she thought about it the more she felt like Yukari was just pulling strings again. She knew she'd have no chance of fathoming the reason, but it sure as hell wasn't boredom. Probably. Well, stranger things had happened.

“Whoops. Still naked.” After wiping herself off she'd just laid stock still, clutching her soiled panties and scowling at the darkness gathered near her ceiling. They were dry and stiff now, and she regretted using her dress as a cum rag. Oh well. Chalk up another reason to go see Alice. She'd have to wait until tomorrow though. Not because Alice would be sleeping, or would turn her away because of the hour, but mostly because she was more worn out than she thought. She climbed into bed still nude after a brief check to make sure she didn't get any fluids anywhere else, kicking the empty bags down onto the floor. She didn't want to add bedclothes to her laundry list, which consisted of zero cleaning and one-hundred percent incinerating.

She'd see Reimu again, whether the miko fell in love with her or not. She'd see Patchy again, and try her best to smooth things over. She'd see Alice tomorrow, and try her best to get under her fellow magician's dress. She was a little excited about it. She also felt a little guilty about that excitement, but Alice was allegedly quite willing. She'd have to see for herself. Hopefully she'd see Ran again. And of course she'd see Yukari again, too, though hopefully not as soon as she fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my work. I've posted this work on another site as well, but I'm looking to garner more critique. I'm aiming to improve, and have plans for a second chapter, so feel free to leave any feedback you may have.


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